1,060 FAMILIES IN BALLARAT SET TO BE WORSE OFF UNDER TURNBULL GOVERNMENT’S CHILD CARE PACKAGE
The Government’s own secret hit list has revealed 1,060 families in the Ballarat will be worse off under the Turnbull Government’s new child care package come July 2.
These families are part of the 279,000 families around Australia who will be worse off under the Liberals new package.
This is extremely worrying news as most of the families who stand to be worse off are families in the lowest income cohort – that is families who have a combined family income of less than $65,710.
Under the Government’s package, families will have to satisfy a complex set of rules to qualify for government assistance – with a work test and a means test set to hit vulnerable families the worst. The work test will require families to satisfy minimum levels of ‘approved activities’ each fortnight – which will knock thousands of low income families out of the system.
“This new slug on families is on top of the 18 per cent growth in fees (to March 2017) since the election of the Liberal Government – which means families are on average paying over $2,000 more a year, Ms King said.
“The Turnbull Government is seriously out of touch when it claims credit for an increase in fees, and for introducing a new childcare package which leaves over 1,060 families in Ballarat worse off.”
“This is another kick in the guts for families who are struggling with flat wages growth, and facing massive hikes in their electricity, education and health bills.”
“If the Turnbull Government was serious about supporting Australian families they wouldn’t be rubbing their unfair policies in the face of those families who are already struggling to get by.”
Labor has a proud record in early education and child care reform, including;
- Reducing the financial burden of child care on families with increases to the child care rebate from 30 to 50 per cent of out of pocket costs
- Increased the child care subsidy to $7,500
- Invested $970 million to create universal access to preschool for 4 year olds in partnership with the States and Territories