
On Budget Day 2015, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop explains the Coalition’s new child care package in her fortnightly column for Mamamia.
For too long, parents across the country have been denied important childcare choices due to a complex, inflexible and unaffordable system.
The Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Childcare and Early Childhood Learning found that the previous government’s system for delivering support was unnecessarily complex, arguably inflationary and failed to target support where it would have the greatest impact.
Childcare fees were continually rising, including a jump of 50 per cent between 2007 and 2013, which was unsustainable.
Travelling across Australia, talking to families in community forums, shopping centres and schools I have listened to the concerns of parents wanting to return to the workforce. Many are faced with the same problem – there has been little incentive to do so, while caring for a family.
