Frydenberg is a “flat out liar”, Rishworth says, citing “soaring childcare prices”

Freya Lucas

Apr 10, 2019

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Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education, Amanda Rishworth, has spoken out against statements made by Australian Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg last night, saying he “flat out lied to Australian families about the soaring price of childcare under the Liberal Government”.

Ms Rishworth’s accusation comes after comments made by Mr Frydenberg during a broadcast of Q and A, in which Mr Frydenberg made the statement “We’ve fully targeted the low and the middle income earners. And, in the most recent CPI numbers, which is inflation which goes to cost of living as well, we've actually seen the childcare prices come down.”

Ms Rishworth said Mr Frydenberg’s statement is “completely wrong” accusing him of “selectively quoting quarterly figures when it suits”.

In response to the claims, Ms Rishworth said “The latest quarterly figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) saw a 1.4 per cent increase in childcare fees during the September to December 2018 quarter alone. Josh Frydenberg is lying to Australian families.”

Ms Rishworth went to note her position, that “under the Liberals childcare fees have increased by more than 24 per cent since they were elected in 2013, leaving families to pay more than $2,500 a year for childcare.”

She went on to say that Mr Frydenberg’s claim, that the Government’s childcare system will help low and middle income families, “is also wrong”, adding “The Liberal’s unfair childcare system has left one in four families worse off - most of these are families who are in the two lowest income brackets.”

The statement as tabled by Ms Rishworth may be accessed here.

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