http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/sussan-ley/ Sussa is the Federal member for Farrer, a seat which takes in much of western NSW. Prior to taking on married life on a family farm, Sussan worked as an air traffic controller at Sydney and Melbourne Airports, as an aerial stock-mustering pilot in outback New South Wales and Queensland and as a shed hand/shearers’ cook across a large chunk of rural Australia. She is currently the Shadow Minister for Childcare and Early Childhood Learning. en Copyright 2013 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/labors-childcare-strategy-is-lot-of-work-for-a-little-reward/ During the Prime Ministerial summit on childcare last week, it wouldn’t have taken Julia Gillard long to realise the current story was heading for an unhappy ending. I hope this came as no surprise. For the best part of 20 months the Opposition has consistently argued the childcare industry was set to completely buckle under the impost of Labor’s new national regulations, which has resulted in rapidly increasing fees when parents can least afford them. During this time, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, childcare fees have risen on average by 17 per cent and 110,000 parents aren’t working because they can’t locate suitable or affordable child care. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Sussan Ley) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/labors-childcare-strategy-is-lot-of-work-for-a-little-reward/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/labors-childcare-strategy-is-lot-of-work-for-a-little-reward/#item8720 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 19:35:36 +0000 Sussan Ley | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/dont-worry-theyre-taking-good-care-of-your-children/ Imagine you are the harried working parent of a bustling four-year-old child - unless of course you’re actually in the zone right now, experiencing all those many wonders first hand. Next year’s the big one. School, and potentially a 13-year stretch of study, social integration, with hopefully some fun and a few of life’s lessons in the mix. As you’re dropping them off at the local pre-school before zooming off to work, it is time to wonder how much do they really need to learn right now. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Sussan Ley) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/dont-worry-theyre-taking-good-care-of-your-children/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/dont-worry-theyre-taking-good-care-of-your-children/#item7567 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:45:54 +0000 Sussan Ley | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/labor-greens-take-chainsaw-to-your-childcare-benefits/ With significant diversions during Federal Parliament last week one of the more contemptible political back flips in recent memory might have escaped your notice. Without a blush, Labor - supported by the Greens in the Senate - took $700 a year from 21,000 parents to fund its reform agenda for the childcare industry. A little explanatory background is needed. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Sussan Ley) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/labor-greens-take-chainsaw-to-your-childcare-benefits/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/labor-greens-take-chainsaw-to-your-childcare-benefits/#item6609 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:40:43 +0000 Sussan Ley | Author bios | The Punch