Local women and families would be up to $2,900 better off under Labors childcare plan, Federal MP Libby Coker has said.
Under the plan, 97 per cent of all families in the childcare system will save between $600 and $2,900 a year.
Ms Coker said women and families needed be at the heart of any Federal Government plan to kickstart the economy.
An elected Labor Government would cut the excessive child care fees and put more money back into the pockets of working families, the Corangamite MP said.
Ms Coker said child care was currently so expensive that it was often a barrier for women returning to the workforce.
At best many women will only work up to three days because otherwise they are just working to pay for childcare, she said.
Its a shocking predicament facing so many local families.
Ultimately, it means women often earn less superannuation. They can also lose confidence and connection with their network and skills. This is the exact opposite of what we want for women.
We want women to achieve their potential.
As a woman I have been through this myself. I understand how frustrating it is.
Labors child care package is good for self-esteem, good for productivity and an absolute winner for young families.
We have to make sure Corangamite women arent forced to choose between their family and their jobs.
Grovedale local, Pawandeep Gill, said her young family would greatly benefit from Labors plan.
It would give us more options. At the moment I only work part time, but under Labors plan, I would be in a position where I could take on more work, she said.
Its really important to me that my children benefit from the experience of early child care but the costs outweigh the benefits under the current model.
The system is broken and families like mine are crying out for more support.
Coker said Labor leader Anthony Albaneses Budget reply was a stark contrast to the Morrison-McCormack Governments Budget, which blatantly ignored the impact COVID-19 has had on women.
Its clear as day this Government did not consider women at all when compiling this years Budget, she said.
Budget Paper 1 devoted just three paragraphs to Womens Economic Security. The Budget, which is almost 1,000 pages, contained no plan for childcare.
Its reprehensible.
