Active Kids vouchers slashed in half as 750,000 kids miss out
The value of Active Kids vouchers will be slashed in half with thousands of families missing out on new means-tested vouchers.
NSW
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Popular vouchers helping parents keep their kids active and creative will be slashed in half and restricted to families on income support in a broken promise from Premier Chris Minns.
From February next year, Active Kids and Creative Kids vouchers will only apply to families on Family Tax Benefit A, meaning a household with two children would need to earn less than $120,000.
As a result about 750,000 children who could previously access the vouchers will miss out.
The value of the vouchers will also be slashed in half with eligible parents receiving two vouchers worth $50 which can be spent on both sporting or creative activities.
Under the previous scheme introduced by the former coalition government, families had access to two vouchers worth $100 each.
The new scheme is estimated to cost the government $28 million per year, as opposed to $190 million in 2022-23.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal that the cabinet‘s expenditure review committee gave “in principle” sign-off on the cuts last Thursday. The measures were finalised earlier this week. It is set to go to the full cabinet on Monday.
The vouchers were set to end at the end of June, with the government arguing that money had not been allocated beyond the end of the financial year to fund the program.
Yet before the election Mr Minns had vowed he would extend the program.
“We’re looking to roll them over,” he said on March 20.
Parents who have yet to use their existing vouchers will be able to use them up till February next year. One additional $50 voucher will be made available to families not below the income threshold before they miss out completely.
In addition, the First Lap swim voucher, which helps parents of 3-6 year-olds pay for swimming lessons will also be halved to $50. Though all parents will continue to be eligible, the program will only be extended to 2025.
Mr Minns said the cuts to the vouchers were a tough but economically responsible decision.
“I want kids from low and middle income families participating in sport, creative activities and learning to swim,” he said.
“This new program ensures we can continue these important initiatives in a fairer, more sustainable way.”
Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the cut to the vouchers was just another broken promise from the premier.
“On their own figures Labor are cutting this program by 85 per cent,” he said.
“This means hundreds of thousands of disappointed families missing out on this vital support, when family budgets are being squeezed so tightly.”
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Originally published as Active Kids vouchers slashed in half as 750,000 kids miss out
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