REFORM THE CHILD CARE SYSTEM
Posted by jeffreygabriel on November 7, 2007
Above – “Child care: our radical reform plan,” Australian Democrats Youtube Channel.
This video came out last week and I thought it was worth pointing out. The Australian Democrats have announced their plan to reform the childcare system. They propose a new medicare style system where parents pay around 10 per cent of the cost of the care and the Commonwealth negotiates the fee system.
Any reading of this would view it as a radical reform but it is a reform a long time coming. Child care costs are increasingly a worry for parents. At the same time, childcare is being recognised as an important aspect of a child’s development. Australian Democrats leader Lyn Allison rightly points out that childcare is more than a place to park the kids. It is an important learning experience and the Democrats are creating a funding scheme that tries to make it as affordable as schooling. The Democrats have a comprehensive issue sheet on childcare and it is available here.
On top of the Paid Maternity Leave policy announced three weeks ago, it can be said that the Australian Democrats are trailblazers when it comes to innovative policies that support young families. The major parties need to listen to our call. Families want more than a tax cut, they need important services that encourage them to work, live and learn.
