Thursday, 9 March 2023

Reservoir East Family Centre

Nathan LAMBERT (Preston) (17:20): (100) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep, and in a similar fashion to the member for Ashwood I rise to request that the minister visit the Reservoir East Family Centre, which has just begun offering high-quality kindergarten programs in the Boldrewood and Broadway neighbourhoods of Reservoir East. They are fantastic neighbourhoods. They have an above-average number of preschool children in them. I am actually often up that way myself to go to the fantastic Reservoir Leisure Centre just nearby. But those young children who are in the area will now have the chance to head along to a wonderful new kindergarten supported by this Labor government and by Darebin Council. I am very pleased that my first non-inaugural contribution to this Parliament will be on this very important topic of early childhood education, and I would like to shout out to Ann Smith, an early childhood educator who shaped my views on this topic.

As we know, the Victorian government began offering free universal primary school education in 1872, and now, just 151 years later, this Labor government is applying the same principles to the early years. In 2020 we began rolling out universal fully funded three-year-old kinder programs, and now in 2023 we have made kinder free for participating sessional kindergartens, either three-year-old or four-your old. If your child attends a kinder program in a participating long day care setting, we are also providing that $2000 offset to your fees.

Of course over the next decade this government support will continue to expand so that by 2032 every Victorian four-year-old will have access to a free universal 30-hour pre-prep program. Obviously, this initiative will be good for children’s development and also good for parents. It is estimated that the ability to access free kinder will allow 28,000 Victorians to return to work, including 26,000 women. We heard yesterday about the importance of women’s economic participation, but it is something that is important to this government every day. The initiative will also help on the expenditure side of family budgets, saving families up to $2500 a year.

A member: That’s action on cost of living.

Nathan LAMBERT: It is indeed. Finally, a particular advantage of this new centre is its co-location with Reservoir East Primary School, a wonderful and innovative school led by principal James Cumming.

In extending an invitation to the minister I acknowledge her leadership in spearheading the government’s early childhood reforms. Coming down for a visit means she will get a chance to meet the amazing educators who are making it all possible and maybe even grab some fish and chips from the renowned Yarra Avenue fish and chip shop. I thank the minister for considering this request.