Friday, 14 November 2025

 James NEWBURY (Brighton) (14:52): (1393) My constituency question is to the Premier, and I ask: when will the Premier stop ignoring the distortion that her kindergarten policy is causing the sector and admit that recent kinder closures are the victims of her Labor government? Last Wednesday the families of 44 children received notification from the Baptist church that Crossway Preschool in Brighton will close this year. Families have been given just 50 days to find a place for their children next year. The teaching staff were only notified a day earlier. The closure notification cited the cause as being in light of recent changes to state government regulatory environments and the resulting financial implications. The affected families have been thrown into chaos. With 33 Bayside children already on the waiting list for a place in a kinder next year, the 44 additional children from Crossway will mean a total of 77 children and their families have an uncertain future. Premier, our local community needs action, not to be ignored, and this government needs to accept that its kinder policy is causing closures, especially in the inner city.