A war of words has erupted between the federal government and opposition about proposed changes to the childcare rebate.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and opposition education and early childhood spokeswoman Kate Ellis last week launched a national campaign against what they called “unfair childcare cuts”, citing a federal government plan to freeze income thresholds for the childcare benefit.
Visiting the Jindi Woraback Children’s Centre in St Albans, the pair called on Australians to sign an online petition to voice their opposition to the plan.
Almost 12,000 people had signed the petition by the time Star Weekly went to print.
Mr Shorten said Early Childhood Australia modelling suggested that in some cases families would have to pay between $3000 and $5000 extra because of these cuts.
“The childcare benefit is means-tested and assists thousands of local low- and middle-income families with the cost of childcare,” Mr Shorten said.
“Under the Abbott government’s cuts, Brimbank families earning as little as $42,000 a year will be hit.
“We are asking all of the childcare centres and all the parents in Australia to stand up and say no to childcare cuts.”
Ms Ellis said it was absurd that the federal government was cutting childcare benefits at the same time it was promoting its paid parental leave scheme, which would give parents full pay for 26 weeks up to $50,000.
But Assistant Education Minister Sussan Ley accused the opposition of scaremongering.Ms Ley said Mr Shorten and Ms Ellis were commenting on a draft report that the productivity commission had not yet released.
“The government has not seen or received the draft productivity commission inquiry report in question. The draft report will also be a report to the government, not by the government. When the government receives the draft we will look carefully at the findings and recommendations, and respond in due course. Labor’s claims are false and a deliberate attempt to mislead working families in need of affordable, flexible and accessible childcare.”
Ms Ley said a second round of consultation would follow the release of the productivity commission inquiry draft report, with the final report due in October.
