http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/coalition-lashes-claims-childcare-under-threat-...THE Coalition hit back today at union claims that parents will pay more for poorer-quality childcare under an Abbott Government.
The United Voice union today claimed the Coalition is not intending to fund childcare fee increases linked to staff pay increases that could boost fees by 25 per cent. This could see parents forced to pay up to $17 a day more for childcare.
The union also fears the Coalition will take $390 million out of the childcare rebate when the scheme includes nannies, and wind back quality reforms.
But Liberal childcare spokesperson Sussan Ley denied any price rises are inevitable under the Coalition, and said she was awaiting the outcome of the Fair Work Commission case on wages.
She said the Coalition has also “never committed to extending the rebate to nannies".
“What we have said is the issue of in home care needs further investigation”.Ms Ley said the Coalition would review the quality reforms with State and Territory colleagues “with the express intent of ensuring the new childcare rules introduced by Labor are managed in a way which addresses the cost impact on centres and parents”.
Michael Crosby, National President of United Voice, said the “devil was in the detail”.
"Childcare educators will inevitably get between $3 and $10 an hour for professional wages, and someone has to pay for it,” he said.
Kate Ellis, Childcare minister, said Australian parents “have a right to be scared about what the Coalition’s 'review’ of Australian childcare payments will really mean to their hip pocket and deserve full answers from Tony Abbott before the election."