The Abbott Government has legislation currently before the Parliament that has the sole purpose of cutting the Child Care Benefit which 7,500 families in Rankin rely on, more than in any other electorate in Australia.
Shadow Minister for Early Childhood, Kate Ellis, and Member for Rankin, Jim Chalmers, today visited the Adam and Noah Early Learning College in the electorate of Rankin to see firsthand the good work of a child care centre where families will be hit by this proposed cut.
The Child Care Benefit is a means-tested payment to low and middle income families to assist with the cost of child care. This cut will directly hit families earning as little as $42,000 a year.
This is an unprecedented attack – no previous Government has ever moved to cut or freeze the Child Care Benefit.
“The Education Department has confirmed over 500,000 low and middle-income families will see their child care assistance cut,” Kate Ellis, said.
“This is a direct hit to those families who can least afford it, including many parents who would otherwise be forced to leave the workforce.”
“It brings the total child care cuts announced by the Abbott Government to more than $1 billion.”
“Our community has been hit particularly hard by Abbott’s cruel and unfair Budget,” Member for Rankin Jim Chalmers said.
“Locals are outraged that Tony Abbott is continuing to pursue his rolled gold Paid Parental Leave scheme which gives $50,000 cheques to millionaires to have a baby, while at the same time cutting direct child care assistance families in Rankin depend upon.”
Labor will fight this cut – but we can’t do it alone. We need to convince cross-bench Senators, who will have the final say on this legislation, not to support the Government’s cruel attack on low and middle-income families.
Jim Chalmers said now is the time for the Rankin community to send a strong message to the Senate that these cuts should be stopped.
To take a stand against Tony Abbott’s targeted child care cuts sign the petition here: http://www.alp.org.au/targetedchildcarecuts
