Tuesday, 27 May 2025

Northcote electorate kindergartens

Kat THEOPHANOUS (Northcote) (10:38): In 2023 I fought alongside our community to protect our not-for-profit kinders from the privatisation and closure imposed on them by the Greens councillors at Darebin. Thankfully, we won that battle. The centres are safe, and I am pleased to report that they are stronger than ever. With the backing of our Labor government, local kinders across the Northcote electorate have seen wonderful upgrades to improve facilities and make room for more families. At Alfred Nuttall there is new natural play equipment with water play and a garden for little green thumbs. Thank you, Susie and Gemma, for showing me around. Merri kinder has expanded its three-year-olds room, and soon they will have a refreshed play space too. Helen is an amazing advocate for that centre.

At Raleigh I will be joining Justine and the team next week to celebrate their expanded capacity, with 22 new places for local kids. Yarralea has just been awarded a major refurb to expand places while keeping its natural charm. Thank you, Steph and the team, for working with me to get that over the line.

We are also backing the extraordinary First Nations led Yappera, which supports learning and wellbeing for Aboriginal children. Yappera will get a major expansion with a second level – huge news for Stacey and the team. In Thornbury we have opened the new Darebin Creek kinder, with 99 new spots. Labor’s free kinder is also making a huge difference, saving families money and giving parents flexibility and kids the benefit of play-based learning, because when we invest in kinder, we invest in every child’s future – and that is a future worth building.