In Australia the term "nanny state" has taken on a literal meaning. People who hire nannies are fuming that the state doesn't subsidize their childcare in the same way it does if they were to have their children cared for by a registered provider (such as a day-care center). Rather than urging the state to get rid of the silly childcare subsidy altogether, a ninny nanny lobby is urging the state to expand the tax break to suit their choices.
Cathy Clark, a mother of three and the owner of My Little Friend nanny agency in Sydney, says the fact the federal Government won't subsidise nannies "forces parents to put their children into long day care when they really don't want to".
Nannies in Australia are currently unregulated, but with any subsidy would undoubtedly come a licensing scheme and thus higher cost to consumers (through taxes and/or higher prices) and lower profits for nannies. Thankfully The Australian uses the idea of something called the "free market" to shoot down the notion my Australian doppelganger's tax dollars should be used to take care of your kid, mate.
Many parents -- and many nannies -- enjoy the free market and would resist attempts by governments or unions to take control. They believe parents should be able to make their own decisions about who cares for their children. A mother who finds the perfect nanny -- such as a retired grandmother who lives locally and can cook -- would resent being told she couldn't hire her, either because she wasn't a union member or didn't have the relevant TAFE certificate. Other parents don't want to be told that nannies can work only certain hours or must be paid more for shift work.
Nannies benefit from the free market, too. Women who haven't studied at university but who spent years rearing their children are often perfectly suited and would resent being told they need to get additional qualifications, or join unions. Some nannies like to set their own conditions: some are happy to prepare dinner, others won't clean or do laundry.
Whole story here. Check out Australia's only "nanny college" here. Site of, by and for The Nanny (and star Fran Drescher) here.
This is the cause of Big Brother -
people who want the government to be Big Mother.
Posted by: Martin Owens | Friday, October 21, 2005 at 06:14 AM