Australia’s ‘broken’ childcare system blamed for cost-of-working crisis. What needs to change?

Mebourne lawyer Natasha Hannah with her twins. Her family’s childcare fees have soared over the past two years. Photograph: Tash Hannah

Natasha Hannah’s long daycare centre has just raised its fees for the second time in less than 12 months. She and her husband are now charged $191 a day for each of their twins’ childcare – and fees have gone up by $50 in two years.

After the childcare subsidy rebate, they pay a total of $517 a week for three days of childcare at the privately run centre in Moonee Ponds, Victoria.