The Centre for Independent Studies thinks so, saying that au pairs are a good substitute for the"over-priced" and "over-regulated child care incindustry.

CIS claims that there is a growing popularity for au pairs among parents responding to regulation by government that contributes to the continually increasing cost of child minding. Subsidies to this industry rip off $8 billion annually from taxpayers, with children or without, looking after their own children or not.

There are 10,000 au pairs in Australia on working visas doing the job for less than $100 per day parents pay to to the mass minders. The same work could also be taken up by locals.

The child care industry is another example of so-called 'free enterprise' that is really paid for by the government via taxpayers.

I think au pairs are a great solution to the problem of child care. They provide continuous care in the child’s own home, their hours can be changed to suit shift working parents, the kids aren’t exposed daily to the viral smog that exists at all daycares and tends to keep them continually sick with colds, sore throats, gastro etc. .
And financially it’s a winner for parents.
However, I don’t think local people would be interested because the pay is low compared to other careers and it’s really only an option for overseas visitors looking for accomodation and small income whilst they experience a new country.

as a grandparent I vote the Government pay me to look after my grandies. Oh dear I am being influenced to much by the entitlement mentality. Better turn off the abc.

//CIS claims that there is a growing popularity for au pairs among parents responding to regulation by government that contributes to the continually increasing cost of child minding. Subsidies to this industry rip off $8 billion annually from taxpayers, with children or without, looking after their own children or not.//

My grandfather raised 7 children on a fitter & turner's wage - my grandmother didn't participate in paid work after she was married, she stayed home and looked after the kids. That was economically viable at the time.

My father raised 5 children on an engineer's salary - Mum picked up the odd bit of part time work here and there once all the kids had finished primary school. That was economically viable at the time.

My sister works as speech pathologist, and her husband as a lawyer. They have three kids, and pay for childcare because it is more economically viable for her to work and pay for childcare than it is for her to take unpaid time off work.

Somewhere along the line something became unstuck in our economic system. I'm not sure what, exactly. I'm sure all the Tories will blame the Lefties, and the Lefties will blame the Tories.

But I know that this reliance on childcare wasn't always a necessity; people used to be able to afford a roof over their head and food on the table without both parents working. And I'm not saying we should go back to the 1950's model of male breadwinner and female housekeeper; I'm quite happy with a female breadwinner and male housekeeper arrangement, or even the breadwinner and housekeeper being of the same sex. But I think it's mental that we've had years and years of economic growth in this country, and seem to have gone backwards since the time when a single wage could support a whole family.

And as for Au Pairs.... hang on, ain't that foreigners takin' our jerbs? I thought Tories generally frowned upon that sort of thing.

Au pairs are not taking any Australian jobs. Read Big Nana's post.

//Au pairs are not taking any Australian jobs. Read Big Nana's post.//

Yeah, I did. But I'll do it again if it keeps you happy.

//However, I don’t think local people would be interested because the pay is low compared to other careers//

Oh, I see... if foreigners take low paying jobs that Big Nana doesn't think 'local people' would be interested in, they're not takin' our jerbs. Well that's good to know. Although frankly, I'm a bit worried about who these 'local people' might be...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meF7NmfnXZ0

I'm assuming that's Big Nana behind the counter in that video.