MATT KEOGH MP,FEDERAL MEMBER FOR BURT

Cash strapped parents are forking out up to 13% more than they were this time last year for child care.

The cost of child care in Burt has climbed since the introduction of the Federal Governments changes to the child care subsidy last year, with families continuing to be worse off under the scheme.

The Federal Government claimed they were easing the burden of child care on young families but instead, according to the governments own figures, 1 in 4 families would be left worse off by losing the subsidy.

Despite the Governments claim their child care subsidy changes would make it easier for working parents to afford care and get back to work, in many instances its just seen increases to fees with no benefit to parents whatsoever.

Fees in one centre in Armadale have gone up $115 a week since April 2018 while one centre in Canning Vale has increased their daily rate by $36.

The new eligibility requirements for the subsidy have also created headaches for parents in Gosnells, with those running home businesses told they dont meet the requirements for assistance.

At the other end of the spectrum, parents in Armadale who take advantage of long day care while working full time are finding theyre maxing out their subsidies and are penalised as a result.

It will cost, on average, $5,300 a year for families on less than $65,710 that dont meet the Liberals new activity test to replace the day of early education they have lost working full time.

For single income families of those marginally attached to the labour market, they will pay more than $10,000 more a year to replace the two days of care they have lost.

In stark contrast, Labor has announced the biggest ever investment in early childhood education in Australia with our $1.75 billion National Preschool and Kindy Program.

Labors plan will see around 700,000 three and four year olds access preschool and kindy every year. This will also help parents balance work and family and help reduce the child care bill for families with children already in early education.