Childcare claims are nothing to be ashamed of

CR LETICIA Laing’s campaign to take the public pressure, if it exists, off councillors who claim childcare expenses went up a notch or two at last Wednesday’s Bass Coast Shire Council meeting.

Cr Laing received the full support of council for a motion, to go forward to the Municipal Association of Victoria’s annual meeting, that reporting of childcare reimbursement should not continue to be compulsory.

Cr Ron Bauer seconded the motion, saying that younger people in the community needed to be encouraged to run for council, and that childcare was not a luxury, but a necessity for many.

But he also said claiming childcare expenses in this day and age was nothing to be ashamed of.

Cr Laing successfully moved the following motion, taking time out to explain that it wasn’t the Sentinel-Times which had been critical of her childcare reimbursement:

“That the MAV advocate to the Minister for Local Government to amend the Local Government (Planning and Reporting) Regulations 2020 to not require reimbursements of childcare costs or expenses incurred by a councillor who is a carer in a carer relationship as a reported expense item in the Annual Report or elsewhere published.”

Speaking to the motion, Cr Laing said that while it was a requirement of the Local Government Act that all councillor expenses be made public, reporting on childcare reimbursements unfairly singled out women.

“Some media have unfairly targeted councillors who have claimed reimbursements for these costs, including myself,” Cr Laing explained.

“This motion is being moved in solidarity with other councils who have approved the same motions to go to the Municipal Association of Victoria including the City of Kingston, the city of Knox and it is also going before the Shire of Cardinia.

“It is predominantly women councillors who bear the brunt of being criticized for claiming legitimate childcare expenses, and despite such reimbursements enabling councillors to perform their legislative role.”

She said it led to many councillors not claiming reimbursement of childcare expenses for fear of being attacked by opponents and/or the media, discouraging some women from even standing for office.

“It is critical that any barriers or obstacles to diverse representation on councils be removed. Amending the requirements for childcare reimbursements is a small but important act to demonstrate that the State Government is committed to removing barriers to community leadership, while maintaining public transparency.”