Rising lifestyle commitments and aspirations require tough choices between staying home to care for kids and going out to earn extra. Big problems arise when childcare centres are scarce and costly.

Government support is essential, but the system can also be a significant deterrent to mothers working more hours. That undermines attempts to improve economic productivity and increase living standards across the board.

We know that the current system is flawed. Changes are necessary.

The major parties offered different childcare policies at the last election.

Providing users work for three or more days a week, independent research says the Coalition's plan is more generous than the current scheme and Labor's offerings for all families even when fees are high. The exception is for those earning more than $250,000, for whom Labor's is, ironically, a better deal.

The previous parliament refused to support the Coalition plan because it was linked to reductions in family tax benefits, meaning the start date had to be delayed until next July.

Surely the re-elected Turnbull government is prepared to de-couple the measures and get its reforms passed.

High fees already mean 108,000 families lose government support when payments reach the existing rebate cap of $7,500 per child.

Labor wanted to raise the cap to $10,000 and increase the means-tested childcare benefit by 15 per cent. The Coalition's new plan would scrap the cap for people earning under $187,000 but increase it to $10,000 for those earning more.

Crucially, the Coalition plan would limit to $11.55 the amount the government pays for childcare. There is heated debate about whether this would encourage users to seek cheaper centres and, as such, prompt high chargers to rethink their prices given the national average cost is $8.35 a day.

The focus must be on using scarce taxpayer support to encourage lower income earners to work more hours to boost productivity. That is what the Coalition's plan aims to do. To keep prices down, though, the system needs greater flexibility. Providing quality is maintained, more centres means lower prices too.