CHILD CARE CRISIS IN BLUE MOUNTAINS
July 23, 2007

Labor Leader Kevin Rudd’s commitment to making child care and the work-family balance a national priority is a vital first step in compensating for the Government’s neglect of working families in the Blue Mountains.

Federal Labor candidate Bob Debus said today that Labor’s campaign to make child care more affordable and available would lift the pressure from many working families in the Mountains.

“The appalling child care crisis in the Mountains was highlighted just a few weeks ago,” he said.

“New figures showed that were no long-day-care places available in Faulconbridge and Hazelbrook.

“Federal Labor has committed to building 260 new childcare centres in areas of real need, and on primary schools grounds where possible. This investment would be worth up to $200 million.”

Mr Rudd has announced that a Labor Government would establish an Office of Work and Family in the Prime Minister’s department.

“We will do everything we can to help reduce financial pressures on families – such as housing affordability and the rising cost of child care, groceries and petrol,” said Mr Debus.

“Sending your child to child care is one of the hardest decisions any parent makes. Often both parents have no choice but to work to pay the mortgage.

“Parents need child care that is affordable, available and good quality.”

The Office of Work and Family would work with the State Government and child care providers to publish:
*Local child care fees
* Vacancy data
* Breaches of quality standards
* Parental reviews

“This would ensure that child care is a national priority,” said Mr Debus.

“Child care costs have doubled under Mr Howard’s watch, and have increased by over 12 per cent every year.

“Local working families have been let down by the Government’s lack of help for child care.”

Mr Debus said the Labor plan would ensure Blue Mountains parents were better informed about the quality and price of child care.

“Working families need help to lift the pressure of skyrocketing child-care costs, mortgage payments, grocery bills and petrol prices.”

Labor’s $450 million Early Childhood Education Plan would help reduce child-care costs and boost the quality of care.

“Every four-year-old in the Mountains will have 15 hours of early childhood learning per week,” said Mr Debus.

“It is not right that women in the Mountains have to weigh-up whether it’s worthwhile going back to work because of the high cost of child care.

“Mr Howard recently said Australian families ‘have never been better off’.

That statement just shows how out of touch the Prime Minister is with the reality of working families in the Blue Mountains.”