Thursday, 17 August 2023

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Kindergarten funding

Matthew BACH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:00): (241) I have a question for the Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep. Minister, local councils are reporting Labor’s botched free kinder funding model is causing kinder cuts and closures. As local government run and sessional kindergartens close their doors, private operators will increasingly be the only option. Privatisation by stealth is the outcome of your policy. Is it the intention?

Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep, Minister for Environment) (12:00): That is just a complete nonsense of a question. Dr Bach shows his lack of understanding of the way that the early childhood sector operates in this state if he suggests for a minute that record investment in early childhood education to the tune of $14 billion is privatisation by stealth. Really, you cannot make this stuff up. I actually think that one of the great strengths of our early childhood sector in Victoria is the diversity of the different kinds of models that are being delivered. We have high-quality kindergarten programs being delivered in long day care by private and community providers and by not-for-profit providers. We have community-run kindergartens, sessional kinders and parent committee run kindergartens that thrive. We have local government providers that do amazing work. In fact many of our local government partners in terms of rolling out this reform are not only holders of the assets as landlords of the facilities but also providers of kindergarten services. To suggest that somehow this is some kind of privatisation scheme is just laughable, Dr Bach. It is absolutely laughable.

Wherever I go around this state, whether that is in regional Victoria, in rural Victoria, in metropolitan Melbourne or in our regional cities, people say to me they cannot believe how much this government backs in early childhood education and care, both the teachers and the educators, the committee-run and the not-for-profits and those in local government. There was a $1.8 billion investment in the last state budget, including $1.2 billion for infrastructure so that we have the modern fit-for-purpose kindergartens right across the state that we are going to need as we transform early childhood education and care.

Matthew BACH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:03): I do thank the minister for her response. Minister, as more councils advise that Labor’s botched free kinder funding model will force cuts and closures in their jurisdiction, which is a fact – like Mornington and Monash – will the minister commit to a thorough audit to ascertain how many closures of council and community-run facilities will occur?

Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep, Minister for Environment) (12:03): I thank Dr Bach for that supplementary question, which again kind of doubles down on the inaccuracies and misinformation that he is peddling. It is just extraordinary that he would be, as the shadow, as the person putting himself forward as the alternative minister, actually running down kindergarten services and running down and destabilising these important reforms. Local government is a very important partner in the government’s work in this area, and I have very constructive discussions with local government –

Members interjecting.

Ingrid STITT: Yes, I have. I have had very constructive discussions with many, many councils, including Knox, including Mornington, and what I can say to you is that –

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister is answering. Can we do it in silence.

Ingrid STITT: I will finish with this: there is nothing more important than these reforms for the children of Victoria.