The Northern Territory news Thu 7 Apr 2022
NT news
The Northern Territory news; NewspaperNT
2022-04-07
English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin.; Australian newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin.
News Corp Australia
Darwin
application/pdf
Copyright. Made available by the publisher under licence.
News Corp Australia
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/869399
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/869663
06 NEWS Thursday April 7 2022 NTNE01Z01MA - V1 Calculate childcare costs WORKING parents can now check what out-of-pocket childcare costs they will have to pay each week depending on which political party wins the election. A clever online election calculator, devised by the childcare app KindiCare, shows parents exactly how much they will have to pay under the Coalition and Labor, as well as the Greens, which is offering free childcare for all. As a comparison, the calculator also assesses the recommendations of the Minderoo Foundations Thrive By Five, a leading early childhood education and care advocate, which is calling for 15 hours of free preschool for three-year-olds and an increase in the childcare subsidy for the first child and subsequent siblings to 100 per cent. KindiCare founder Benjamin Balk said between the two major parties, the calculator showed that in almost all scenarios two-parent working families would be better off under Labor. And, an average working family with two children in childcare would save between $6386 and $11,013 a year in out of pocket fees if Labor won the election. Mr Balk said the governments recent changes to the child care subsidy provided targeted additional support to families with two or more children aged five and under in care, but nothing extra for those with one child in care. He said he created the KindiCare election calculator to bring transparency to election promises and allow parents to make an informed decision when they go to the voting booth. Bottom line for most families is will I pay less for childcare under the Coalition or Labor? Mr Balk said. And if I want or need to work more hours, will my income be eaten up in fees through reduced subsidies? Parenthood executive director Georgie Dent said funding for childcare was so complicated that it was often difficult for families to know how much they would be paying in any given year. This calculator makes it so simple, Ms Dent said. With the recent childcare fee increases its really difficult for families. Every dollar that families can save makes a difference. Thrive by Five director and former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill said out-of-pocket childcare costs had gone up almost 10 per cent in two years. The rising cost of childcare is stretching household budgets and pushing up living costs for many Australian families, Mr Weatherill said. A spokesman for Acting Education Minister Stuart Robert said the federal government was delivering record child care funding that was targeted to low and middle income families, and particularly where the costs added up when families had a second or third child. Out-of-pocket costs are still on average 14 per cent lower than when we reformed the child care system in 2018, he said. Labor has a policy for cheaper childcare for millionaires costing an additional $63bn over the next decade on top of our current policies. An additional $18bn over the forward years alone with no plan on how it would be funded. The calculator can be found at kindicare.com Julie Cross Parents will be able to find out how much their childcare will be depending on which party wins the federal election. Picture: iStock ELECTION1 06 Election still not called PRIME Minister Scott Morrison has given a big hint on when the election will be called ruling out Thursday. Holding a press conference at a defence design business in western Sydney, Mr Morrison was quizzed about whether he would call the election tomorrow. He answered: No. He was then asked if he would call it at the weekend. The election will be called soon enough and it will be a very important election, the Prime Minister responded. Because, you know, over the last couple of years Australia has widely been focused on what has been a very tough period for this country. They (people) have been putting their kids through homeschooling as theyve gone through lockdowns, theyve been trying to keep their businesses open, theyve been trying to keep their livelihoods in place. Now there is the opportunity before they make a very important decision at the next election. The only two feasible dates the election can be held are either May 14 or May 21. Ashleigh Gleeson welcome back tasty welcome back dates welcome back smiles welcome back family Authorised by L. Gosling, ALP NT, 3/266 Trower Road, Casuarina, NT 0810 2022