Anthony Albanese's $1 billion childcare announcement may appear to champion families, but it discriminates against parents who choose to care for their children at home.
By prioritising subsidised childcare over meaningful support for stay-at-home parents, the Albanese government is imposing an unfair economic disadvantage on families who value parental care during their children's formative years.
Family First’s policy is to allow income splitting for tax purposes to end the “couple penalty” which leaves a stay-at-home parent out of pocket. Family First also believes parents and grandparents caring for children should get the same financial benefits as couples who choose to use commercial daycare.
Virginia Tapscott, a mother and advocate for parental choice who is not affiliated with Family First, captured this sentiment powerfully in her recent address at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference in Sydney.
"I couldn't understand why the most important work of my life—caring for my children and raising them—was considered a waste of my time and education," she said.
Tapscott highlighted the cultural shift that treats parenting as a distraction from economic productivity rather than the vital societal contribution it truly is.
Families where one parent stays at home save the government substantial childcare subsidies but receive no financial recognition for their effort.
Meanwhile, these families pay the same taxes as dual-income households, effectively subsidising a system they do not benefit from.
This imbalance creates immense pressure on single-income families, who face rising living costs and feel penalised for choosing to invest in their children's early years.
Tapscott also pointed out the broader implications of this policy.
"The push for equal workforce participation and economic growth has turned into a ruthless march earlier and earlier into motherhood and childhood," she said, warning that this undermines both maternal well-being and societal resilience.
Evidence supports her claim: as workforce participation rises, birth rates decline, presenting severe long-term economic challenges.
The Albanese government’s reforms perpetuate the false narrative that institutional care is superior to parental care.
Tapscott challenges this idea: "It’s time to stop treating women as a problem to be solved. Parenting is by far the strongest determinant of childhood outcomes."
Instead of championing policies that marginalise parents, the government should explore ways to support them—such as tax relief for single-income families, extended parental leave, or recognising unpaid caregiving as valuable labour.
Family First believes parents must have the freedom to choose what is best for their children without financial coercion.
Albanese's childcare reforms fail to address the real needs of families, instead incentivising economic activity at the expense of the most critical years in a child’s life. It’s time for policies that respect and empower all parents, valuing both paid and unpaid contributions to society.