Grandparent Lobby Visits Canberra To End PM’s Shameless Kowtowing To Big Childcare

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

Lobbyists from the Australian Association of Grandparents and Grandparent-adjacent Caregivers (AAGGC) have made landfall in Canberra this week as they look to take on Big Childcare and their stranglehold over the Prime Minister.

Earlier this year, Anthony Albanese did what every good centre-right government does when they have a minor problem, especially in an election cycle. They throw vast sums of money at it and hopes it goes away. What they certainly don’t do is reform anything.

The Albanese Government has guaranteed three-days of subsidised early education for every Australian child. At a registered early childhood education facility. Including ones owned by foreign hedge funds that operate on a profit-first, safety-second principle.

They have also contributed a measly $1 billion toward a “Building Early Education Fund” which looks at constructing new childcares at primary schools around the country, which is a step in the right direction. Even if it’s essentially just the dregs of a tea cup thrown on a campfire.

One suggestion rejected by the Government was giving families to option to pay a separate caregiver, such as a grandparent, to do the same work as a childcare worker. They would be paid via the existing Child Care Subsidy program.

Speaking to The Advocate today, AAGGC spokesperson Gwendolyn Magnolia explained that just because you’re old and fucked, doesn’t mean your time is worthless.

“Grandparents are the most experienced childcarers in the country,” she said.

“For some parents, childcare is out of reach or not appropriate for a child’s needs. The government needs to provide families with greater options when it comes to paying for childcare. Right now, it’s just the government paying foreign-owned childcare providers, upwards of billions of dollars. I tell you who has the ear of the Prime Minister, it’s Big Childcare! And we all saw Four Corners on Monday. These places are not safe and the government is just palming huge sums of money their way,”

“And this programme would be in-line with every government’s shameless tummy rubbing of the Baby Boomers. More free money just because you have a pulse!”

The Advocate reached out to the Prime Minister’s Office for comment but were told to wait for next Tuesday’s strategy call.

More to come.