CHILDCARE “ACTIVITY TEST” MOST UNPOPULAR POLICY IN AUSTRALIA
Thursday 12 December – A broad coalition of peak bodies and industry groups representing hundreds of thousands of Australians and backed by evidence from government reports support the abolition of the Activity Test.
The Federal Government yesterday announced it would scrap the test, paving the way for 126,000 more children to access vital early learning and allowing up to 40,000 more parents to return to the workforce.
The Activity Test blocks children from early years education and care based on how much their parents work.
“Young parents cannot get childcare without a job, and can’t get a job without childcare,” said Minderoo Foundation’s Jay Weatherill.
“That’s a failed policy and it’s clear the childcare Activity Test doesn’t have any friends.”
The following organisations either want it abolished or significantly reformed to remove disincentives to early education and productivity:
- Business Council of Australia
- Productivity Commission
- Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
- Women’s Economic Empowerment Taskforce
- Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee
- Australian Childcare Alliance
As well as the Thrive by Five coalition, which includes more than 100 organisations, including:
- SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children(Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander body)
- The Parenthood
- Brotherhood of St Laurence
- Royal Far West
- Chief Executive Women
- Early Childhood Australia
- Australia Research Alliance for Children and Youth
- HESTA
- Goodstart Early Learning
- C&K
- Children and Young People with Disability Australia
- Australian Council of Trade Unions
- United Workers Union
- Australian EducationUnion
- Independent Education Union
- Centre for Policy Development
- Social Ventures Australia
- The Front Project
- Centre for Community and Child Health
- Isolated Children’s Parents Association
- Learning Links
- Connect.Ed
- Australian Refugee Association
- Child Australia
- Life Without Barriers
- Contact Inc
- Centre for Research in Early Childhood Education
- National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
- Toy Libraries Australia
- The Social Policy Group
- Community Early Learning Australia
- The Bryan Foundation
- Centre for Women’s Economic Safety
- Bushkids
- Welcoming Australia
- The Y
- Maternal, Child & Family Health Nurses Australia
- RRR Network
- Northern Tasmanian Early Years Group
- Community Connections Solutions Australia
- OurPlace
Useful economic and social analysis:
Two reports from Impact Economics and Policy have analysed the impact of the Activity Test on labour force participation and early learning participation:
Child Care Subsidy Activity Test: Undermining Child Development and Parental Participation
Child Care Subsidy Test: Incentive or Barrier to Labour Force Participation
Further quotes attributable to Jay Weatherill from Minderoo Foundation’s Thrive by Five campaign:
“If a child turned up to their first day of primary school and was told, ‘sorry, you can’t get an education here because your parents don’t work full time’, we would be outraged. Why should this be the case for early learning?
“It is fantastic that the government has recognised this and committed to making three days per week of early learning accessible to every child, no matter their parents’ work or study situation.
“It is a failed policy. It’s blocking parents from getting back to work and preventing children from getting early education. It predominantly impacts single parent families, First Nations families, and casual and shift workers.
“This is a win for equity, as it will enable the children who are most likely to benefit from early learning to get access.”
