Wednesday, 19 February 2020

Kindergarten funding

Ms EDWARDS (Bendigo West) (09:39): In an Australian first, this government is investing almost $5 billion over the next decade to fund kindergarten for three-year-olds. From 2022 every three-year-old will have access to at least 5 hours of funded kindergarten a week. That increases to 15 hours by 2029. This includes a new $1.68 billion investment in early learning buildings across the state. We are helping build, modernise and expand kindergartens so they have the space and facilities they need for this important reform.

In Bendigo West we have invested $1.6 million towards a new kinder in Maiden Gully, one of the fastest growing areas of Bendigo. Shine Bright kinder will include an early learning centre with a capacity of 150, 120 four-year-old places, 60 three-year-old places, a long-day-care centre to support working families and eventually an allied health service.

We have invested $550 000 to build a new kinder facility in Harcourt, relocating the current kinder to the co-location on the Harcourt primary school site. We have invested $85 861 to replace ageing playground equipment at Havilah Road kinder, making this kinder one of 54 services to secure funding to upgrade their buildings or playgrounds and make them more inclusive and accessible for children with additional needs.

Making sure every child has access to three- and four-year-old kinder is a priority. We know that children benefit enormously from early learning, and that is why we are delivering unprecedented investments in early childhood services.