Where QLD child care fees are topping $20,000 a year – and where the cheapest suburbs are

Average childcare fees in some inner-Brisbane suburbs are now topping $20,000 a year before subsidies are applied. BEST AND WORST SUBURBS

Average childcare fees in some inner-Brisbane suburbs are now topping $20,000 a year before subsidies are applied, as fees continue to outstrip inflation and parents put their kids into care for longer.

Hourly fees in Queensland rose from $10.70 to $11.50 an hour, a 7.47 per cent increase between the June quarter this year and the same time in 2022, which was before the July 10 price hike kicked in.

It works out at a cost of $19,540 a year before subsidies kick in, though it is reduced to $9770 a year in out of pocket fees for those parents receiving a 50 per cent government subsidy and $1954 for anyone on the maximum 90 per cent discount.

Inflation rose at 6 per cent during the same time period.

Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly said inflation data released last week showed child care costs had improved for Brisbane parents due to the increased subsidies.

But her Opposition counterpart Angie Bell said rising costs and increased fees had “eaten away” any benefit for many families.

Annual fees topped $20,000 a year for a range of suburbs and cities, including Sunnybank, Kenmore, Brookfield, Yeronga, Holland Park, Indooroopilly, Nathan, inner-city suburbs, Surfers Paradise, Cairns and more.

The most expensive area was inner Brisbane’s eastern suburbs, including Morningside, Seven Hills and Bulimba, where average fees topped $22,000 a year.

Within the state’s southeast, places like Ipswich, Jimboomba, Beenleigh and Loganlea had substantially cheaper child care, of just over $18,000 a year pre-subsidy.

This was based on a family with children in care 48 weeks a year for the average 35.4 hours a week.

Early Childhood Education Minister Dr Anne Aly. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The average hours a week Queensland families have had their children in early childhood education has risen from 31.6 hours in 2019.

It is based on analysis of the latest quarterly data from the Education Department.

In Opposition Labor promised to have the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to design a price regulation mechanism.

Dr Aly said the government was waiting on final reports from the ACCC on the sector.

“The latest CPI data shows that, early childhood education and care costs in Brisbane have improved by 13.6 per cent thanks to the increase we made to the Child Care Subsidy,” she said.

“This is in stark contrast to prices going up twice as much as the OECD average in the last four of the former government.”

Opposition early childhood education spokeswoman Angie Bell. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Opposition early childhood education spokeswoman Angie Bell said 90 per cent of parents had child care fees rise in July.

“While they promised cheaper childcare for families, the reality is that increased fees and inflation have eaten away those higher subsidy savings for many families,” Ms Bell said.

“The Albanese Government threw billions of dollars into the system, without doing the proper due diligence and instead of making early learning more affordable and accessible, it’s done the complete opposite.”

MOST EXPENSIVE IN QLD

1 – Brisbane Inner East (including Morningside, Seven Hills and Bulimba) – $22,174.56

2 – Carindale – $21,919.68

3 – Brisbane Inner (including Spring Hill, West End, Highgate Hill and New Farm) – $21,596.83

4 – Brisbane Inner West (including Paddington, Dorrington and Toowong) – $21,545.85

5 – Centenary – $21,443.90

CHEAPEST IN QLD

1 – Bowen Basin (North) – $16,108.41

2 – Outback (South) – $15,683.61

3 – Innisfail/Cassowary Coast – $15,190.84

4 – Charters Towers/Ayr/Ingham – $14,732.06

5 – Far North – $9243.64

CHEAPEST IN SOUTH EAST QLD

1 – Jimboomba – $18,096.48

2 – Ipswich Hinterland – $18,164.44

3 – Noosa Hinterland – $18,232.41

4 – Loganlea/Carbrook – $18,266.40

5 – Beenleigh – $18,368.35

* BASED ON 35.4 HOURS A WEEK, 48 WEEKS A YEAR, PRE-SUBSIDY

Originally published as Where QLD child care fees are topping $20,000 a year – and where the cheapest suburbs are