The Hon Jason Clare MP

Minister for Education

The Hon Kristy McBain MP

Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories 

Member for Eden-Monaro

The Albanese Government is set to deliver more affordable early childhood education for around 1.2 million Australian families, including over 4,000 families in Eden-Monaro.

Legislation to change the Child Care Subsidy takes effect from Saturday, and is good for children, good for families and good for Australia.

For a family on about $120,000 with a child in care three days a week, the changes will cut costs by about $1,700 a year.

The Child Care Subsidy rates will lift to 90 per cent for families on a combined income of $80,000 or less.

The higher subsidy for families with a second and subsequent child aged five or under in care will be retained.

The number of hours of subsidised care Aboriginal and Torres Strait children are eligible for will also rise to a minimum of 36 hours a fortnight from July, benefiting around 6,600 families and encouraging more to use care.

Families can now calculate their Child Care Subsidy by visiting www.startingblocks.gov.au/child-care-subsidy-calculator.

The Government’s Cheaper Child Care policy is complemented by the $72.4 million early education workforce package, supporting the skills and training of workers in the sector.

These measures are supported by the currently open Community Child Care Fund grant round, helping to establish a new centre based day care or family day care service in an area experiencing limited supply.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education, Jason Clare:

“Around 1.2 million families will get Cheaper Child Care to help with cost-of-living pressures and make it easier for parents to return to paid work, or work more paid hours, if they want to.

“Apart from their mortgage or rent, child care is the biggest bill that a lot of Australian families have to pay.

“This is a practical measure that is good for children, good for parents and good for the country.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Eden-Monaro, Kristy McBain:

“The cost of early childhood education is one of the first things families in Eden-Monaro have to factor in when they sit down at the kitchen bench to do the household budget – we’re helping to ease that pressure.

“Our Cheaper Child Care policy will provide real cost-of-living relief to over 4,000 families in Eden-Monaro from July.

“This relief will have a number of social and emotion benefits for children, and will also improve workforce participation and the economic security of women.”