Parents to miss out as Active Kids voucher program cut said Dugald Saunders

The changes - announced on Friday by the NSW Government - will see a slash in the monetary value of Creative Kids and Active Kids vouchers and stricter eligibility requirements.

"All families in our community could receive $300 per child per year in Active Kids and Creative Kids vouchers under the Liberal and Nationals Government," Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders said.

"Under Labor's cuts, the number of eligible families will be cut in half, and those who are still eligible will receive just $100 per child per year."

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Mr Saunders said the changes were disappointing as more families struggled with cost of living pressures.

"I'm really disappointed, Labor has cut these highly successful programs at a time when the cost of living is rising, and household budgets are already under significant pressure," he said.

From next year, eligible families can apply for two $50 vouchers each year, issued at the start of Term 1 and Term 3, to help cover the cost of participation in sports or creative fields.

The new vouchers will only be available to families receiving Family Tax Benefit Part A, encompassing roughly 600,000 out of a total 1.35 million schoolchildren across NSW.

For most single-child families, the tax benefit caps out once income hits $109,000 while a family of three teenagers can earn up to $141,000.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the changes were necessary to "repair the budget" and said the previous government had not funded the program beyond the end of financial year.

"This is a tough but economically responsible decision," he said.

"I want kids from low and middle income families participating in sport, creative activities and learning to swim. This new program ensures we can continue these important initiatives in a fairer, more sustainable way.

"It was never a case of continuing funding; it was about finding the funds to continue the program because the former government failed to do so."

The cost of the new Active and Creative Kids voucher program is estimated at $28 million per year, compared with the cost of the previous scheme, which was estimated at $190 million the 2022 to 2023 financial year.

But NSW opposition leader Mark Speakman said families shouldn't have to pay for Labor's "broken promises and wrong priorities".

"Before the election, Chris Minns promised to fund Active Kids vouchers, and after months of uncertainty families across NSW are paying for Labor's broken promise," he said.

"Given the rising pressure on family budgets, Chris Minns' cuts mean children right across NSW will miss out on the opportunity to learn to swim, play sport and participate in creative activities."

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