'Obsolete' childcare activity test in election focus
Early childhood education is in the spotlight ahead of the federal election but the path to high-quality, universal and affordable childcare is unclear.
Minister for Early Childhood Education Anne Aly, Liberal MP Angie Bell, Greens senator Steph Hodgins-May and independent MP Zoe Daniel have taken part in a forum on early childhood, four days before the election.
Ms Aly said Australia had the blueprint for a universal childcare system that was simple, affordable and accessible to every child.
The discussion quickly turned to the childcare activity test, abolished by the Albanese government in the most recent budget.
The test determined who was eligible for government-subsidised childcare based on the hours parents spent working, studying, volunteering or looking for work.
It will be replaced with a three-day guarantee, allowing families to access 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight, regardless of parents' level of work.
The removal of the activity test is expected to benefit about 67,000 families and about 100,000 families will have access to more hours of subsidised care.
"The activity test is retrograde, it's poorly designed policy and it makes it tougher for women," Ms Aly said.
But the coalition intends to reinstate the childcare subsidy activity test if re-elected.
Coalition MP Angie Bell argued the childcare system was $16 billion of taxpayer funding and therefore access to it should be means tested.
"It should go to those families who need it the most, and that is families who are working," she said.
Ms Bell said the coalition had committed to improving access to childcare in rural and regional Australia, where families were often impacted by lack of availability.
Plans to reinstate the activity test would restrict childcare access for families who need it the most, The Parenthood campaign director Maddy Butler said.
Ms Daniel said the establishment of an early childhood commission would determine a national approach to regulatory standards.
"We need to set a national standard and also weed out unscrupulous operators, while making sure that there is rigour in the oversight of the sector," she said.
The Greens have also proposed an early childhood education and care commission with enforcement powers to uphold quality standards and crack down on rogue operators.
If the party holds the balance of power after the election, Senator Hodgins-May said high quality, free, universal childhood education and care would be a key priority.
"Early childhood education is an essential public service, just like primary and secondary school ... it shouldn't be a post code lottery for your child to get a very strong early education," she said.
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