To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives assembled in Parliament.

The petition of certain residents of the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria draws to the attention of the House their concerns regarding cuts and changes to child care spending by the Federal Coalition Government in its August 1996 Budget.

In particular these include: the withdrawal of the operational subsidy for community based child care centres; the imposition of a 50 hour limit on child care assistance; the abolition of 5,500 new child care places and the introduction of an option for families to have child care assistance paid directly to them rather than to the service.

These cuts will adversely affect families and children by eroding equitable access to quality child care and protection. Reducing this access will also mean that many good quality, community-based services will become unviable.

Your petitioners request that the House:

   Reinstate the operation subsidy for all community-based services

   Remove the 50 hour limit on child care assistance

   Reinstate the 5,500 community-based child care places

   Ensure that child care assistance payments are made directly to services

   Reinstate the $30.00 Disregard for Family Income Assessment for Child Care Assistance.