Anthony Albanese, Federal Member for Grayndler, has drawn attention to the chronic lack of child care in the Inner West.

Mr Albanese said, “I am contacted on a regular basis by parents, usually mothers, who are frazzled by the lack of child care options available to them. Parents in this area have been struggling for too long with the high cost and scarce availability of child care.”

His comments follow the failure of the 2006 Federal Budget to deliver solutions to the child care shortage. They also follow the public admission of high profile Liberal MP Jackie Kelly that Labor is more serious than the coalition about creating more quality, affordable child care.

“What we have known for a long time has even been confirmed by members of the coalition – Labor has better child care policies than the Government,” said Mr Albanese.

Mr Albanese pointed to Labor’s plan, announced during the Federal Budget reply, to fix the child care crisis.

“A Beazley Labor Government will build up to 260 new child care centres on primary school grounds and on community land, in partnership with child care providers, to end the double drop-off.”

“We will work with parents and the industry to determine where childcare shortages exist - something the Howard Government has failed to do over 10 long years,” he said.

Labor also has plans to address the shortage of childcare workers, and has committed to paying the TAFE fees for Australians interested in becoming early childhood educators.

“Only Labor is serious about creating real solutions to the child care crisis,” said Mr Albanese.