National Media Releases

As child care fees soar, Kevin Rudd is all talk and no action on cost of living pressures - Mr Luke Hartsuyker MP

25th January 2010

Kevin Rudd has once again been exposed as all talk and no action on putting downward pressure on the cost of living following revelations child care fees will rise by up to $200 per week, Federal Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs Luke Hartsuyker said today.

Weekend media reports revealed how Rudd Government changes to child care standards will see parents slugged up to $40 extra a day, with 42 per cent of metropolitan centres and 79 per cent of regional child care centres admitting they would be forced to increase charges.

“Once again we have Kevin Rudd being all talk and no action on the cost of living pressures of working families,” Mr Hartsuyker said.

“Kevin Rudd feigns concern for household budgets and then sits back as the cost of living continues to escalate.

“These cost increases in child care will hit working families hard, particularly in regional and outer metropolitan areas.

“In some cases the child care cost increases will be the equivalent of two interest rate rises.

“In the end child care will become unaffordable for many families and only available to the elite. It’s one thing to change child care standards but Kevin Rudd is creating a situation where many working families will be unable to afford placing their children in care.”

Mr Hartsuyker said the rise in child care costs was the latest example of Kevin Rudd’s failure to deliver on his 2007 election promise to put downward pressure on the cost of living.

“Under Kevin Rudd household budgets in 2010 are heading towards a perfect storm. Interest rates are rising, the cost of electricity is going through the roof and petrol and groceries prices are increasing under Federal Labor.

“Now working families will be further slugged through child care cost increases. The real concern here is that these increases are just the tip of the iceberg under Kevin Rudd.

“His emissions trading scheme is nothing more than one big new tax. The ETS will drive up the cost of everything Australians buy. The increased price of milk, bread, meat and other essential foods will be felt at kitchen tables right around the country.

“Just like his hollow promise to fix our public hospitals, Kevin Rudd has been exposed as a fraud on the cost of living. He has done nothing to put downward pressure on household budgets. The double whammy now is that his government’s policies are increasing the cost of goods and services for average Australian families.”