Tuesday, 21 June 2022

 Mr MERLINO (Monbulk—Minister for Education, Minister for Mental Health) (14:15): Part of the transformational early childhood and economic reform announced last week is the commitment to establish 50 government-operated, affordable and integrated childcare centres to deliver child care, kinder and pre-prep. We know that thousands of families live in childcare deserts, areas where there are more than three children per one centre-based day care place. We also know that our most disadvantaged communities have the least access to child care.

With the first centres to open from 2025, these publicly run childcare centres will help address market failure where there are not enough private and not-for-profit operators to keep up with local demand. Where possible the centres will be co-located with schools to avoid the double drop-off or alongside hospitals, TAFEs and major employers to create convenient access for working parents. Where there is demand centres will operate extended hours and on weekends so parents in industries like hospitality and health care have more options. These new centres will accommodate approximately 5000 children—thousands and thousands of families where an extra parent can return to the workforce, providing an immediate boost to the economy, because on this side of the house we recognise that it is impossible to have the choice to participate in work if you cannot get care for your child in the first place. That is why in 2020 we provided $81 million for 400 new outside-school-hours care services at government schools. We have now got statewide coverage. There are new government schools that have a kindergarten on site or next door. It is why we have been rolling out universal three-year-old kinder. All of this is the nation’s biggest investment in children’s development and economic reform. On the other side of the house, a childcare policy desert.