Late last month, 24th March to be exact the legislation for the Federal Government’s overhaul of the childcare system passed the Senate.

Political reporter Alexandra Beech summarised key points following Wednesday nights decision.

• Bill passed after savings measures to pay for changes passed Senate;
• Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said children of single-income families will miss out on the benefits;
• Senator Derryn Hinch passed amendment that would see higher-income families (earning more than $350,000) miss out on subsidy.

The article published online on ABC News further re-iterated that the Government’s Package would benefit around 1 million families balancing work and parenting. It includes replacing multiple subsidies with one means-tested subsidy and lifting the cap on the childcare rebate.

Education Minister Simon Birmingham said ‘The more you work the more childcare subsidy will be available to you. The less you earn, the greater the level of that subsidy will be in the future’. Opposition Labor Senator Katy Gallagher and Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young eluded that yes if you’ve got a job and if both parents are working the package will be pretty good. But the most vulnerable people in our community, for those that don’t have both parents working for a variety of reasons is where those children will suffer.

The bill will now return to the House of Representatives for consideration due to further amendments been put forward and will await the outcome in the near future.

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