Women’s Interest Minister Simone McGurk backs childcare shake-up following report calling for $5b sector boost

WA Women’s Interests Minister Simone McGurk is encouraging a rethink by the Federal Government to shake-up childcare after a new report suggested increased subsidies would boost the economy. The report from the Grattan Institute says if the Federal Government spent an extra $5 billion on childcare subsidies annually there could be an $11b increase to gross domestic product — due to a boost in workforce participation. Low-income families should have subsidies raised from 85 per cent to 95 per cent, meaning 60 per cent of families would pay less than $20 per day per child for childcare, according to the report. Ms McGurk told The West Live host Jenna Clarke it would be fantastic if Australia could have a radical rethink around childcare. “Time and again it’s shown to be the biggest barrier to increasing women’s involvement in the workforce,” she said. “It’s not only important for women’s participation in the workforce and to have choice … but it’s also very important for child development. “I would welcome a complete rethink of that by the Federal Government. The studies have shown this would also pay dividends economically. “We’re undercooked when it comes to ... giving people choice in their career paths.” Ms McGurk also discussed a new $715,000 two-year pilot for an Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making program within the child protection system. “Essentially what happens now is Aboriginal children are vastly overrepresented in our child protection system. So, I think they’re about three per cent of our population, Aboriginal people, but about 56 per cent of our children in child protection in care of the department are Aboriginal,” she said. “We’ve currently got some changes working through the Parliament, some changes to the child protection legislation which would … represent increased involvement of Aboriginal organisations in placement decisions. “But this trial around a model (AFLDM) ... takes that a step further and would actually mean the representation of self-determination for Aboriginal people in regard to child protection. “Child safety is at the centre of any decision so that’s not compromised, the sort of benchmark of whether a child should or shouldn’t be taken into care isn’t altered but it’s really who is involved in that decision. “How do we involve the broader family, the Aboriginal community and Aboriginal organisations to participate in that decision making?”