Budget blind to child care crisis

The Federal Government continues to be blind to the crisis in long day care and has again done nothing in this Budget to help the many working families where women want to, or need to, return to work.

And the Howard Government has done nothing to build a secure, stable childcare workforce which would be trusted by parents - the LHMU Childcare Union said today.

"John Howard and his Ministers must face up to the fact that while they don't provide the funds there will never be enough available places in Australian childcare centres for all the mothers who want to return to work," Jeff Lawrence, LHMU Childcare Union National Secretary said.

The Federal Budget has failed to address the crucial issue of access to childcare leaving about 250,000 Australian families on waiting lists for childcare they can't afford.

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