Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese unveils Labor plan to cut the cost of childcare
Anthony Albanese has unveiled Labor’s ambitious plan to slash childcare fees and eventually deliver a 90 per cent subsidy for all families, while also promising a $20b upgrade of the national electricity grid.
Victoria
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Hundreds of thousands of families would save up to $2900 on childcare fees as part of a $6.2bn Labor plan which removes the cap on subsidies so parents can more easily return to work.
And if Labor wins the next election, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has promised long-term reforms to give all families a 90 per cent childcare subsidy.
In his budget reply speech on Thursday night, the Labor leader also promised to:
SPEND $20bn on new electricity transmission lines to “rebuild and modernise the grid” and turn Australia into a “renewable energy superpower”.
REQUIRE one in ten workers on federal government projects to be apprentices and cadets, with a skills guarantee that could be extended to aged care, disability care and childcare.
DEVELOP a rail manufacturing plan to build more trains in Australia.
Under the existing childcare system, families earning less than $69,390 receive an 85 per cent subsidy, which tapers off through higher income brackets. For families earning more than $189,390, the annual subsidy is capped at $10,560 per child.
Mr Albanese said the “confusing and costly” system meant that “for millions of working women, it’s simply not worth working more than three days a week”.
Labor wants to remove the cap while lifting the maximum subsidy and tapering it down, slashing fees for 97 per cent of families.
The competition watchdog would be tasked with regulating prices to ensure operators passed on the savings.
“This is real reform. It will boost women’s workforce participation, boost productivity and get Australia working again,” Mr Albanese said.
If elected, he said Labor would ask the Productivity Commission to consider its long-term plan to make “quality, affordable childcare universal”.
Mr Albanese, who grew up in social housing, also promised $500m to repair rundown social housing dwellings.
“That’s why I want to be Prime Minister. Because I know government has the power to break down barriers of disadvantage, to change lives for the better. I’ve seen it. I’ve lived it,” he told parliament.
Mr Albanese said the government’s budget “leaves people behind”, reducing women to “a footnote” and making it harder for those on the dole aged over 35 to find a job.
Prior to the Labor leader’s speech, Scott Morrison said the government’s budget was “for all Australians”.
“There will be voices that will try and set young people against older people, women against men, jobs in one sector versus jobs in another sector,” the Prime Minister said.
“They are the voices of division that will undermine the future economic prosperity of all Australians.”
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