Thursday, 24 March 2022

Ministers statements: Hobsons Bay kindergarten funding

Ms STITT (Western Metropolitan—Minister for Workplace Safety, Minister for Early Childhood) (12:33): I rise to update the house on how the Andrews Labor government is providing families in Hobsons Bay with more and better kindergarten facilities. Earlier this week we announced the signing of a new Building Blocks partnership with Hobsons Bay City Council that will deliver a co-contribution of up to $5.8 million towards three new and expanded kinders as part of our landmark three-year-old kindergarten reform. We know how important it is for Victorian children to get the best start in life, and we are delivering the facilities to do exactly that.

The first stage of this partnership will provide an extra 168 funded kinder places by 2025 across Newport, Altona and Seabrook, and I want to give a shout-out to the members for Williamstown, Melissa Horne, and Altona, Jill Hennessy, for their tireless advocacy on behalf of their communities. They both understand the critical role that early childhood education plays in setting children up for lifelong learning. There is also in-principle support for a further state government contribution of up to $2 million for one more new kinder in the City of Hobsons Bay to be delivered from 2026. The projects will deliver more than 270 funded kinder places in total in the City of Hobsons Bay by 2029. This is the third Building Blocks partnership we have signed, and I want to encourage every council to engage in this process so we can deliver even more bigger and better kinders across Victoria.