Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

Again, I thank the senator for the question, because it is a very good question. I think a number of senators might be asking themselves what the real impact of these fee increases is on families' out-of-pocket expenses. As everyone in the chamber realises, the government assists families with out-of-pocket childcare expenses through the childcare rebate and the childcare benefit. Senators will also recall that, during Labor's term in office, childcare fee assistance to families did increase significantly over their last four years in government. Between 2008-09 and 2012-13 government investment in that assistance increased by 45 per cent, from $3.3 billion to $4.8 billion. But, despite that substantial increase in fee assistance, families' out-of-pocket expenses still increased by up to almost 40 per cent over that same period. It is cold, hard proof that just topping up payments on the national credit card does not work, and it makes the payments totally unsustainable. (Time expired)