A SLIGHT increase in the Child Care Benefit will see some Ballarat families receive 11 cents an hour more for the time their child spends in care, from Monday.
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Assistant Education Minister Sussan Ley trumpeted this as evidence of the Coalition government’s commitment to families with young children, although the increase happens every year in line with inflation.
“This increase in Child Care Benefit is timely relief for families struggling with the cost of child care,” Ms Ley said.
The 11c an hour increase to $4.10 is for families in the
lowest income bracket, below $42,997.
It is expected the government’s freezing of the indexation of the income brackets will result
in a drop in spending of $300 million.
A spokeswoman for Early Education shadow minister Kate Ellis said Ballarat families would be hurt by the wider cuts to childcare spending.
“The Abbott government has legislation currently before the Parliament that has the sole purpose of cutting the
Child Care Benefit which 3050 families in Ballarat rely on,” Ms Ellis said.
“The Education Department has confirmed over 500,000 low and middle-income families
will see their child care assistance cut.”
The Productivity Commission will deliver a draft report into government support for childcare this month, and is expected to recommend combining the Child Care Benefit and Rebate into one means-tested payment.
