First victim of Labor childcare cuts

23/09/11

The Gillard Government’s withdrawal of occasional care funding suffered its first casualty today in an outer suburb of Melbourne, with the ‘Take a Break’ service ceasing at Longbeach Place Neighbourhood House in Chelsea.

Federal Coalition spokesperson for Childcare, Sussan Ley, says “what we have witnessed today is another demoralising example of Labor’s inability to understand the real needs of Australia’s working families”.

Childcare Minister Kate Ellis abandoned occasional care when, without consultation, she removed funding from the last two federal budgets. Until then, the program was an example of state and federal cooperation to assist families who did not require, nor could afford full time care.

Two thirds of the nation’s occasional care programs are in Victoria yet, “for the sake of a few million dollars, the Minister sits on her hands watching valuable centres like this shut up shop, causing unnecessary grief to thousands of families”, Ms Ley said.

“Support for all forms of childcare in this country starts with the Commonwealth. We’re talking about a very small amount of money inflicting a whole lot of pain”.

A national petition calling on Ms Ellis to reverse her stand will be presented to Federal Parliament in the next month. The Federal Coalition has also committed to restoring the Commonwealth’s 70% funding share when it is re-elected to office.