NSW: Treasury report says child care is accessible, affordable

AAP General News (Australia)
02-02-2007
NSW: Treasury report says child care is accessible, affordable

A federal treasury report says child care is accessible and affordable .. contradicting
claims the sector is in crisis.

The report says supply of child care places is keeping pace with demand .. and that
the proportion of family income being soaked by child care costs is not growing.

Fairfax Newspapers say the report .. published today in the Treasury's Economic Roundup
.. has found no evidence of an undersupply .. despite reports of lengthy waiting lists
and fees of more than 100 dollars per day for places at Sydney's inner city long daycare
centres.

The report found reported shortages may be a function of consumer choice .. rather
than actual shortage of places.

Sydney University's professor of public economics PATRICIA APPS has disputed the findings
.. saying the paper has totally distorted the available figures.

AAP RTV krc/psm/

KEYWORD: CHILDCARE REPORT (SYDNEY)

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