Women who do paid work outside the home have long known their pay packets are just covering childcare costs and not a lot else. Now there's research to back up what we already know, and the news is dire.
New research by Australian National University just released by parent advocacy and campaigning organisation The Parenthood has found that women are clearing just $5 per hour after tax and childcare costs, making it barely worth the return to the workforce.
It's clear there are things other than money to be gained from working, but this finding is in stark contrast to the two major parties' claim that their focus is on growing the economy.
Jo Briskey, executive director of The Parenthood, said that many women are finding it's not financially viable to return to work, or that they are actually paying to go back to work.
The research showed that a woman on an average income would be left with $22.39 an hour for the first day of work, $13.83 for the second day, and just $5.08 by the fifth day. Those who are on a lower than average income would be losing money by the fifith day.
"If the Coalition and Labor were serious about economic growth, childcare reform would be at the top of their election promises list," Ms Briskey said in a statement.
"Our politicians keep telling us that they are committed to jobs and growing our economy, but where is the evidence of that?"
Ms Briskey maintains that the government is holding back half of the potential workforce by ignoring rising childcare costs and putting the issue off the agenda for yet another year in the last federal budget.
In that year, women will see a further eroding of their pay rates, to the tune of $1500. Anyone currently with a child who is 3 to 4 years old child won't benefit at all from any future changes.
"Mums are doing the numbers and quickly realising that after the cost of childcare, tax and other work related expenses, they're only making a couple of dollars an hour. You have to ask, why would they bother?" Ms Briskey said.
The findings come at a critical time of year when many parents are paying full-fee childcare costs as the ever-shrinking Child Care Rebate of $7500 has well and truly run out.
Those who lose the most are low income earners who start paying to work by the fourth and fifth day of the working week.
Middle and high income earners do better at between $5 and $8 an hour.
Ms Briskey said that the economy is missing out on the benefits of women working outside the home. while children missing out on quality early education.
"We need high quality childcare that's affordable and accessible, and we need it now," she said.