Tony Abbott’s ‘Nanny Plan’ is firming up as a solid Coalition policy. A press release outlining his push for more flexible childcare arrangements has been issued. He’s stated that a Coalition Government would ask the Productivity Commission to look at ways of helping families in regional and remote areas, parents who work irregular hours, and those living away from extended family.“The Coalition believes that families deserve a flexible child care system that offers different care options depending on a family’s individual circumstance rather than a one size fits all model that fails to take into account non traditional working hours.
Existing child care services do not always meet the needs of parents, particularly shift workers. Australia is no longer a 9am-5pm economy and our child care system should reflect that.”
Tony Abbott should be a hit with the ladies. He should know exactly what a woman wants. He has women telling him what to do all day long. He’s outnumbered at home with his wife and three stunning daughters (you know they’d be harsh critics). At work, his right-hand-man is actually his right-hand-woman; Chief of Staff, Peta Credlin. He should be dishing out relationship advice and calling my shoes fierce.
Instead, he walks like he’s been riding a horse for days. His suits never sit right on his muscular frame. He’s constantly running, cycling, swimming… He’s awkwardly awkward around women’s issues. In the way a dad buying feminine products for his tween daughter might be. It’s foreign, it’s petrifying and I can’t look you in the eye while we discuss it.
He generally fails to woo the ladies. But he says he’s changed. He’s seen the light. As Tony Abbott readies himself for the Lodge, he’s launching himself at this last momentous hurdle: The Lady Vote.
Cue: The Nanny Plan.
As well as his very generous Paid Parental Leave plan, which would pay mothers their full salary for 6 months (up to $75,000), Tony Abbott says, as PM, he’d ask the Productivity Commission to see if he could expand the childcare rebate scheme to include in-home care, like nannies.
At the moment, parents can get rebates of up to $7,500 a year for childcare but that’s limited to registered centres. The Opposition leader says the traditional opening hours mean they’re not a good option for a lot of parents.
“This is not something that is just for rich lawyers and doctors by any means; there are a lot of people who work shifts, a lot of mums with several young kids for whom this would be, potentially at least, a very effective option,” he says.
Some of his own backbenchers have called his Paid Parental Leave (PPL) policy the “Rolls Royce” policy, but Tony Abbott says that generous PPL and the flexibility of in-home care for children makes good economic sense, because it encourages women back into the workforce. He says he wants to “harness the economic potential of women”.
Minister for Early Childhood and Child Care, Kate Ellis dismissed the plan as a “thought bubble” with no substance behind it.
“Nannies are quite often completely untrained and also spend a lot of their time doing things like housework, preparing meals for the family, acting as a chauffeur, picking kids up from school,” she says.
“What Tony Abbott now says he wants to do is make low income families subsidise nannies for the well off.”
But Tony “let me rub your feet” Abbott says it’s not a handout for the rich. By today’s calculations, a woman with three (or sometimes just two) children in day care, could pay a similar amount to have in-home care; which he says is the better option for shift workers who can’t make the drop off and pick up times, or for those who just can’t find childcare spots for their children.
It all sounds lovely, but Tony Abbott needs to find the money for his plan and cuts would most likely need to be made elsewhere in the childcare rebate scheme. And there’s a risk that, like the pink-batts saga, some people would take advantage of the subsidy, and set themselves up as untrained, unqualified nannies; which could put children at risk.
But it’s a challenge Mr Abbott 2.0 (the Lady Loving version) will accept. He told Fairfax newspapers that it’d taken him too long to understand why women needed some help.
”I feel a little regretful, even a little embarrassed, at how long it has taken me to appreciate just how demanding it is in the modern world for a mother who also has a career,” he said.
He said that fathers need to open their eyes and see what tough work mothering is.
”I have to put my hand up and say that I might have been too accepting of stereotypes in my earlier days, but the whole point of living is to grow through your experience,” he said.
“I suspect a lot of currently middle-aged Australian men will be better grandparents than they were parents.”
That’s a big change for one man. Is it enough?
Lauren Dubois is Mamamia’s Canberra-based political contributor. You can follow her on Twitter here.
What do you think of the plan? Should nannies be part of the childcare rebate? Would it influence your vote if that were the case?
Top Comments
From start to finish this article is an exercise in uninformed bias and character assassination.
The leader of the Opposition proposes, not legislates, an initiative, which clearly many couples would welcome. Is it feasible? Maybe, maybe not. The intent is both political and practical. Remember, Tony is the leader of the Opposition, not the government.
The author questions the financial veracity of the plan. Does the author similarly question the viability of Labor's on-going deficit spending? Apparently, a deficit larger than Australia has ever been lumbered with before is ok. To date Labor is in the hole for $200 billion. An astronomic figure. Google it. What have we got for it?
Unlike the Whitlam government, this government has produced no lasting results other than the vastly unpopular Carbon Tax. At least Gough bequeathed us Medicare.
Then Ms Dubois proceeds to attack Tony personally. Apparently running, swimming and lifesaving are dubious activities. She also attacks his person, 'his suits never sit right on him'.
'he walks like he’s been riding a horse for days. His suits never sit right on his muscular frame. He’s constantly running, cycling, swimming…'
Strange that the same week Tony was forced to apologise for agreeing with a comment by Germaine Greer, that Gillard's 'suits didn't sit right'.
Double standard?
Hypocrisy if you ask me.
And lastly,
'He’s awkwardly awkward around women’s issues. In the way a dad buying feminine products for his tween daughter might be.'
FFS what Dad wouldn't be?
Gig,
You are the most biased uninformed person on here!!!!!!
Do you not realise what a sketch writer is???? Lauren is a fantastically informed and intelligent political correspondent BUT on the articles she writes on here she uses a more relaxed approach that everyone gets!! (except you of course!!)
Lauren was NOT attacking Tony Abbott just giving quite a funny slant on his personality and I am sure if he read it he would agree and have a laugh, he is just like most Dads and not too bothered about his appearance etc. I am not bothered about his suits, appearance or anything else, my interest is in his policies and what he will do for Australia and that is what Lauren was explaining to us.
Keep up the great work Lauren !!
This is in answer to anon and lynnd:
So many comments talking about 'cleaner air'. If you walk outside you will see, smell and feel that we already have clean air. If we don't there is the http://www.npi.gov.au/ They are already taking care of pollution. The Carbon Tax will only tax carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon Dioxide is a greenhouse gas, it contributes to plants and photosynthesis. It doesn't dirty our skies, make breathing harder, it isn't soot, or black muck. It is part of the planet we live on. Always has been.
Twenty years ago it was suggested that man's carbon dioxide emissions were responsible for raising the temperature of the planet. Twenty years later, this hasn't happened, or been proved. Look out the window, feel the breeze. In fact, no matter where you live in the world, these apocalyptic prophesies are proving to be fake.
The Carbon Tax will not address pollution from cars (carbon monoxide) or factories spewing smoke; it will not create 'blue skies' or change the weather; it is merely an impost on a colourless, odourless gas. The same that you hear, not smell, from your Coke can.
And it's a tax, simple as that. A tax to help the Labor government pay their way out of the needless hole they've created with their ridiculous policy initiatives.
As Tim Flannery said, it will not change the temperature one iota.
Queensland is leading the way, come 2013 and the rest of the country will have the opportunity to throw these clowns out, and restore sense to the governance of this wonderful nation.
Well said, Gig. Is the penny starting to drop? Are people waking up? I really hope so!
Dear Gig, I hope more and more people are waking up to the scam that is Climategate. The weather and the climate both change but the future sky is not going to fallen in or heat up so that life as we know it ceases to exist. We are talking about modelling and predictions, not absolutes. When treasury gets one of its modelling numbers right maybe we can worry about our climate. You're so right. It's all about another tax that will fill Labor's government coffers.
The carbon tax will not change the temperature or the climate. One day they will ask ... so did you believe all that rubbish about the clmate and the rising sea water levels? Nah we will all say. And we won't be able to find one single believer. Ya gotta love time. It's the best antiseptic.