Child care to cost more, alliance claims

There are claims parents could be forced to pay $10 more a day for child care if the Federal Government’s controversial grant scheme goes ahead.

Critics say the $300 million boost is unfair, because two thirds of Australian child care centres will miss out.

It is not often workers want a smaller pay rise, but the Australian Childcare Alliance, which represents 70 per cent of centres, said the Government’s pay grant does not stack up.

It claims the plan discriminates against some workers because only 40 per cent of them will receive it.

The Government has confirmed it is ‘first come first served’.

“We’re not asking them to change their funding, we’re simply asking them to share it equally among all employees,” Kerry Mahony from the alliance said.

The Alliance said that means giving all workers a $1 pay rise, instead of a minority receiving a $5 boost.

Child care worker Tristian Severn said it could result in parents footing the bill to make up the shortfall.

“And that’s not fair,” he said.

The Alliance warns that to retain workers, centres will have to match wage rises, and that will mean increasing child care fees by up to $10 a day.

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon said the problem is that child care rebates have been capped, so it will become unaffordable for parents.

Childhood Minister Peter Garrett was not available for an interview, but a spokesperson said the grant money is an interim measure to reward qualified workers, and first come first serve is the only fair way to distribute the money.