Thursday, 13 November 2025

 Rachel WESTAWAY (Prahran) (19:09): (1403) My adjournment matter is directed to the Minister for Skills and TAFE in the other place. The action I seek is for the minister to use her powers to intervene with Swinburne University, convene negotiations with Stonnington council and the Commonwealth government and secure a lease extension while the matter is resolved. The Windsor Community Children’s Centre faces closure.

Swinburne is planning to sell the land and has given notice that the lease ends in December, and 80 families in the seat of Prahran will lose access to early education in a neighbourhood where demand already far exceeds supply. This land was gifted to Swinburne University by the Baillieu state government. They received it at no cost whatsoever. They plan to sell it for a massive windfall while walking away from 80 families. And here is the real stinger: under this government’s windfall gains tax legislation, universities can claim an exemption if sales proceeds are used for charitable objectives. Swinburne stands to benefit from gifted land and avoid windfall tax by claiming charitable purposes, all whilst closing a childcare centre that serves families in our inner-city community.

But it gets worse. This week Swinburne wrote to the Windsor community childcare centre asking if they will accept trainee placements for their certificate III and diploma in early childhood education for 2026. Swinburne is closing this centre, forcing out 80 families, but still wants to use it as a training facility for their students. It would appear the right hand is not speaking to the left. Swinburne recognises Windsor community childcare centre as a valuable enough place to train the next generation of early childhood educators – but apparently not valuable enough to keep open for the 80 families who absolutely depend on it. If this is not institutional hypocrisy, I do not know what is.

Swinburne falls under this minister’s portfolio. It receives substantial Commonwealth and state funding, and I urge the minister to use her authority over funding arrangements and work with her colleagues and the minister for children, who holds regulatory powers under the Education and Care Services National Law 2010. Work with the Commonwealth government. Make it clear to Swinburne that a university gifted land by government and seeking a windfall tax exemption while wanting to use this centre for student placements cannot simply walk away from 80 families.

Windsor sits within a proposed activity centre zone where thousands of new dwellings are planned. The need for child care will absolutely multiply, yet Swinburne is walking away at precisely the moment this infrastructure is being developed, and it will become more essential for families. Minister, I hope you will convene the negotiations; bring Swinburne, Stonnington council and the Commonwealth government together; and secure a lease extension for the 80-something families, who should not be displaced at this point in time. Our community is watching; 80 families are waiting. The lease expires in December, and the silence from this government grows louder with each passing day.