70 per cent of people rank childcare iss The Abbott government's childcare reforms are unpopular while Joe Hockey has lost votes in his electorate. AUSTRALIAN families have sent the Abbott government a blunt warning over planned childcare reforms, declaring they will make it a key election issue ­unless more money is provided to help mums who want to return to work. An exclusive poll obtained by The Saturday Telegraph ­revealed more than 70 per cent of people rank access, cost and quality of childcare and early childhood learning as one of the most important issues that could decide their vote. That message is a personal one for Treasurer Joe Hockey, with the poll also revealing a 15 per cent drop in the Coalition primary vote in his own blue ribbon seat of North Sydney since the last election. As Mr Hockey considers the government's response to a Productivity Commission ­report into ­reform of the sector, which landed on his desk more than a week ago, a poll of his electorate revealed one in four of his voters had abandoned him, with his primary vote dropping to a record low of 45.3 per cent. Government plans to bring in a single means-tested payment for childcare, which the PC draft report recommended cut in at a combined family income of $160,000, was supported by only 57 per cent of those polled. The ReachTell poll this week of almost 1500 people in Mr Hockey's seat and the southwest seat of McMahon held by opposition Treasury spokesman Chris Bowen, commissioned by United Voice, which represents the childcare sector, was universal in its findings the issue would become a key election battleground. As many men as women ranked the issue as being among the most important with fears means testing could lead to the cost of childcare ­becoming a barrier to mums going back to work. More than half of all those polled in North Sydney, 54 per cent, supported the government putting more money into the childcare sector to improve quality of care and access, with only 17 per cent believing it should not invest more. About 57 per cent also backed higher pay for childcare workers. United Voice National Secretary David O'Byrne said previous governments had "tinkered" around the edges of the issue and it was time for proper reform to ­increase ­access and quality of childcare. "This shows that it is clearly an issue for the vast majority of families," he said. Originally published as Families warn against planned childcare reforms