Wednesday, 9 March 2022

City of Port Phillip childcare centres

Mr FOLEY (Albert Park—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Minister for Equality) (09:50): The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration on how governments go about their actions. Well, it is a pity that the Liberal Party-controlled council at the City of Port Phillip seem to have forgotten this as they continue their efforts to sell off three much-loved early childhood centres. They do so in the face of widespread community action led by the three centres—namely, The Avenue Children’s Centre and Kindergarten, the Elwood Children’s Centre and the Eildon Road Childcare and Kindergarten.

Despite the outcry from thousands who have supported the campaign, the council continue in their rush to sell off these centres and reduce the number of quality childcare and early learning places in our community. Most remarkably of all, they do this whilst aware of the offer of constructive engagement from the Andrews Labor government via the Minister for Early Childhood. The council voted again to continue this sell-off process.

This is a state where people at all levels and at most levels of local government recognise that our investment in early childhood development delivers community wellbeing at so many levels. This is when we consider the best interests of the child when we are pursuing a better future for us all. This is an issue that should unite us all. Sadly, the City of Port Phillip continue to divide us. Councillors, it is time to admit you are wrong. Stop the sell-off, secure the leases and the future of these sites, commit to being part of the community childhood learning future for the long haul and sit down with the Andrews Labor government and secure the future of these centres.