Thursday, 10 March 2022

Ministers statements: Melton kindergarten funding

Ms STITT (Western Metropolitan—Minister for Workplace Safety, Minister for Early Childhood) (12:06): I am very pleased that the Andrews Labor government is giving families in the Melton LGA more kindergarten options with a new partnership with Melton City Council to deliver better kinder facilities and more places for kids in the city’s booming outer west. We are proudly co-contributing up to $17.3 million towards five new and expanded kindergartens across Melton City Council, providing more than 1120 funded kindergarten places right across the region.

Some of the projects we are funding in this partnership include the Deanside community centre and neighbourhood house, which I know the member for Sydenham, the Honourable Natalie Hutchins in the other place, is really thrilled about. We are also delivering the Toolern community centre hub in Weir Views, with four kinder rooms, which the member for Melton, Mr Steve McGhie, knows is a fantastic investment for his local electorate and the growing community in that area.

We have also given in-principle support for a further contribution of up to $20 million for another five early childhood infrastructure projects in the City of Melton between 2027 and 2029, because we know that planning for the future growth out west is incredibly important. This is the second Building Blocks partnership we have signed, and it is all part of our $1.68 billion investment in infrastructure to deliver what we need to deliver three-year-old kinder right across Victoria.