WE need to boost the funds devoted to child care.

The cost is reaching formidable levels for the average family and, in spite of the government providing $1.6 billion - money we cannot afford but necessary to improve the child care scheme - it still doesn't satisfy Bill Shorten who, like a child crossing attendant, is sticking up his stop sign and disrupting the whole issue.

We can offset costs by dipping into our foreign aid bucket and by not paying $605.1 million in foreign aid.

Why do we have to give money to Indonesia - $368.7 million, Afghanistan $82.7 million, Pakistan $47 million, Bangladesh $56.1 million and the Palestinian Territories $43.6 million - is a mystery.

Most of these countries hate us and we receive very little benefit from them.

Indonesia is a wealthy country and only last week received a billion dollars from The King of Saudi Arabia.

Let's be realistic and use our tax money for our benefit and stop sprinkling it around to ungrateful nations.

KEITH WHITESIDE

Sippy Downs