
Childcare barely rated a mention in the Federal Government's Tuesday night economic blueprint, forcing Prime Minister Scott Morrison to defend the omission in an interview with ABC's Leigh Sales.
Targeted funding for about 3000 providers in Victoria is being extended until January and parents across the rest of the country will be given easier activity test requirements until April.
But there were no major funding commitments or new initiatives for the early education sector, which was among the hardest hit by the coronavirus-induced recession.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on women in the workforce. Post continues below video.
In an interview with 7.30 on Wednesday night, Sales asked if the government's plan to create one million new jobs had forgotten families,
"There's no additional funding for childcare. Who do you think is going to look after the children of the new workers?," Sales asked.
"We have put in significant amounts during the course of this COVID-recession to ensure the childcare operators have been able to come through this recession," Morrison began, before Sales cut him off.
"No, no, I'm talking about, you want to create a million new jobs. Where are those workers going to put their kids?" she said.
In his response, Morrison pointed to previous record participation for women in the economy - which resulted in the interview going in a direction the prime minister didn't see coming.
"Why do you assume I'm talking about women?" Sales interjected. "Men are parents too."
"Men are responsible for childcare as well. You have pivoted to talking about women but men should be 50 per cent responsible for childcare, too."
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