2024-12-11
The Greens say Labor’s announcement on early childhood education and care falls short of providing genuine reform required to fix the childcare system in Australia.
Lines attributable to Early Childhood Education and Care spokesperson Greens Senator Steph Hodgins-May:
“Parents woke up today hoping that they could send their kids to childcare without breaking the bank. Instead, they have been left disappointed.
“Labor’s announcement will do very little for families. Three days of subsided childcare is still only three days - parents will still be stuck with high fees and long childcare waiting lists and kids will continue to miss out on an education, particularly those most disadvantaged.
“We know that the activity test unfairly locks families out of getting an early education, and if Labor wanted to they could fully abolish the activity test today.”
“Our childcare system is in crisis and the sector is crying out for transformative change. We were hoping for genuine reform, but instead, Labor continues to tinker around the edges and kick the can of universal early childhood education and care to the next election cycle.
“If we want a universal system, where every kid gets the best start at life - we need to make childcare free and genuinely accessible. Every day that Labor delays action, is a day that our children are denied access to early education and parents are kept out of paid work.
“While parents continue to struggle in a cost of living crisis, Labor and the Coalition simply don’t have the courage to take real action. With the Greens in the balance of power, we’ll fight to keep Dutton out of government and push Labor to make childcare universal and free.”
Lines attributable to Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP:
“Many parents will be disappointed by these half-measures, which won’t make any difference for full-time working families.
“This won’t make childcare more affordable for parents working part-time and won’t address the cost issues for women wanting to return to work full-time.
“It’s clear the major parties won’t do what’s needed to fix early childhood education, and we can’t keep voting for the same two parties and expecting a different result. With a minority parliament looming, the Greens in Parliament will keep Peter Dutton out and push Labor to make childcare universal and free.”
Media contact:
Charlotta Lomas - 0437 620 603