The Labour Party's road show to talk about their Best Start package policy took in Masterton Christian Childcare Centre yesterday.
List MP Jacinda Ardern, Auckland, joined forces with Hutt South MP Trevor Mallard, Rimutaka MP Chris Hipkins and Wairarapa Labour candidate Kieran McAnulty to outline the benefits of the policy to staff and parents.
Ms Ardern said the policy received lots of discussion at the start of the year around the payment, $60 a week until the baby turned 1, but they wanted to ensure people knew about other benefits.
Those include free antenatal classes for first-time mothers and raising early childhood education subsidies from 20 free hours a week to 25 hours, and extending paid parental leave to 26 weeks.
Labour leader David Cunliffe announced the policies in his State of the Nation speech in January. Early Childhood Centres welcomed the proposals, as did the Greens, but the Government criticised the scheme as unaffordable.
