Has Childcare Become a Luxury item?

Should Manly ratepayers subsidise child care to the tune of $500,000 pa for 125 families using our facilities?  This is a question being asked as the cost of providing such facilities seem to be spiraling out of control.

Local families may be faced with fee increases from $6 - $14,000 per year per child depending upon how many days they use the facility.

Proposed increased fees by Council have been agitated by new federal initiatives in staff pay increases and child-to-teacher ratios which, while highly desirable, are making child care costs unsustainable and impossible for many families.  What do you think should be done?

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