Secret hit list’ reveals suburbs that will suffer most under childcare reforms
Australia’s secret hit list of the areas which will suffer the most from the government’s childcare reforms has been revealed.
The government subsidy has helped ease the pressure on parents, but the rules are about to change and not all families will be eligible for assistance.
Labor’s childcare spokeswoman Amanda Rishworth said many families “are going to get a rude shock come the first of July”.
“The majority of families that will be affected are in the two lowest income brackets,”she said.
The ALP claims it’s uncovered a secret hit list showing 279,000 families will be worse off.
New South Wales: In the Blaxland electorate, more than a third will lose out. In Malcolm Turnbull’s electorate of Wentworth, it’s about every second family, while in Sydney’s west – 3200 parents in Werriwa will be worse off.
Victoria: 4500 families in the Lalor electorate are set to lose out. In Higgins, 40 per cent will be affected and in Goldstein every second couple will be hit by the reform.
Queensland: In the Rankin electorate about 4300 families will be affected. Almost a third of kids in Oxley will be worse off and 3000 families in Blair.
South Australia: Almost 2000 families in the Wakefield electorate will be worse off while almost 25 per cent of kids in care in Port Adelaide and Sturt will miss out.
Western Australia: About half the families in the Curtin electorate will be affected by the change. More than 1900 families in Stirling and Durack will be worse off along with 25 per cent of kids in care in Fremantle.
Tasmania: 670 families in Denison will be affected with about 20 per cent of kids in care in Braddon worse off. Almost 580 in Lyons are set to miss out, too.
South Australian LNP Senator Simon Birmingham said the childcare forms are going to benefit around one million Australian families.
The government insists the winners will be low to middle income parents.
Those earning up to $185,000 a year will have the $7000 rebate cap scrapped.
For those earning more, the cap will be raised to $10,000 provided you meet the activity test and show you’re either working, studying or looking for a job.
But Early Childhood Australia’s Samantha Page said “if you’re working in casual or irregular work you could have a problem with the new subsidy system”.
“It’s quite difficult to navigate,” she said.
