ALP pitches cheaper childcare
BRISBANE childcare prices have risen 15 per cent in the past three years.
Annual fees within the city can vary by more than $3000 a year, with inner-city areas paying more than $18,000 a year before subsidies compared with outer suburbs on $15,000. Labor has seized on the new data to say that 125,060 families across Brisbane would be better off under its $6bn childcare plan.
Families on the highest subsidy under the Coalition’s policy, 85 per cent for families earning up to $70,000, would save $600-900 a year if they move to the highest subsidy under Labor’s plan.
But from March this year, the Coalition already reduced out-of-pocket costs by up to 95 per cent or $185 a week for a second or third child in care.
Labor has since committed to keep this policy. The Coalition says childcare costs rose nationally by an average of 3.1 per cent every year under Labor, compared with 1.2 per cent under its government.
Clontarf marketing manager Patti Lupari said she had been shocked by the cost of child care and they struggled to save even with two full-time working parents.
“Having affordable child care could mean we can have a second child,” Ms Lupari said.
Opposition childcare spokeswoman Amanda Rishworth said childcare costs had risen in Brisbane by 15 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data.
“By investing in early education and care we not only give children the best start to life and ease cost-of-living pressures, we can get more people back to work – particularly women,” she said.