The national early childcare union, United Voice, says in the 12 months to April 2012, childcare fees rose from an average $63.21 to $70.29 a day.
A union study, released on Sunday, found Tasmania had the heftiest increase, an average of 16 per cent to $73.62 a day.
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Overall, the ACT tops the list for the most expensive childcare, with parents paying $82.43 - up nine per cent.
Victoria is the second most expensive, with childcare fees of $74.95 - up 14 per cent, followed by the Northern Territory at 72.39 - up 15 per cent.
"This massive fee increase is more evidence the childcare funding system is failing and is placing children, parents and educators under severe strain," United Voice's Sue Lines said in a statement.
"The funding model introduced by the Howard government is broken. It's time for a new funding system because without renewed government intervention the crisis can only worsen."
The union study collated fees at childcare centres in a sample of 71 postcodes across all states and territories.
The federal government provides a 50 per cent childcare rebate for working parents, capped at $7,500 a year.
Some 782,000 families receive the rebate, which is not means tested.
