The DLP recognizes that parents who choose to provide childcare for their own children face financial discrimination by government, as opposed to families who choose to outsource their childcare, usually to day care centres.
Under the current system, families where one parent works in the home to care for children may receive the Baby Bonus and Tax Benefit B. However, this does not compensate for the loss of the $6000 tax free threshold enjoyed by double income families, nor is their sacrifice recognized with funding for in-home child care.
The DLP also recognizes that unwaged child care provided by parents and other family members (often grandparents) contributes to the optimal wellbeing and care for children and to the welfare of a stable society.
Current and previous Federal Governments have increasingly cut back funding and social recognition of the importance of "parent care." Both major political parties are moving towards the "universal" model of -
Paid paternal leave
Outsourced child care in day care centres
Such policies tend to cut parents out of their children's lives long term by promoting double income dependency. This policy is also especially detrimental to sole parents. The Great Child Care Divide
As a consequence, the DLP supports the introduction of an Early Education Care Benefit. This benefit would provide a direct cash payment to parents, thus giving them a true choice about the type of care they wish to provide for their children. It would see an end to the financial discrimination between parenting styles and provide social recognition of the job undertaken by parents and other family members at home.
This policy is proposed in conjunction with other DLP policies in relation to Tax, Means Testing etc.
