UPDATE: Tony Abbott’s ‘Nanny Plan’ is firming up as a solid Coalition policy. A press release outlining his push for more flexible childcare arrangements has been issued. He’s stated that a Coalition Government would ask the Productivity Commission to look at ways of helping families in regional and remote areas, parents who work irregular hours, and those living away from extended family.“The Coalition believes that families deserve a flexible child care system that offers different care options depending on a family’s individual circumstance rather than a one size fits all model that fails to take into account non traditional working hours.
Existing child care services do not always meet the needs of parents, particularly shift workers. Australia is no longer a 9am-5pm economy and our child care system should reflect that.”
Tony Abbott should be a hit with the ladies. He should know exactly what a woman wants. He has women telling him what to do all day long. He’s outnumbered at home with his wife and three stunning daughters (you know they’d be harsh critics). At work, his right-hand-man is actually his right-hand-woman; Chief of Staff, Peta Credlin. He should be dishing out relationship advice and calling my shoes fierce.
Instead, he walks like he’s been riding a horse for days. His suits never sit right on his muscular frame. He’s constantly running, cycling, swimming… He’s awkwardly awkward around women’s issues. In the way a dad buying feminine products for his tween daughter might be. It’s foreign, it’s petrifying and I can’t look you in the eye while we discuss it.
He generally fails to woo the ladies. But he says he’s changed. He’s seen the light. As Tony Abbott readies himself for the Lodge, he’s launching himself at this last momentous hurdle: The Lady Vote.
Cue: The Nanny Plan.
As well as his very generous Paid Parental Leave plan, which would pay mothers their full salary for 6 months (up to $75,000), Tony Abbott says, as PM, he’d ask the Productivity Commission to see if he could expand the childcare rebate scheme to include in-home care, like nannies.
At the moment, parents can get rebates of up to $7,500 a year for childcare but that’s limited to registered centres. The Opposition leader says the traditional opening hours mean they’re not a good option for a lot of parents.