Wednesday, 5 March 2025

Eastern Victoria Region kindergartens

Tom McINTOSH (Eastern Victoria) (09:58): Last week I had the honour of officially opening the Tootgarook kindergarten, the new 99-place kinder.

Sheena Watt interjected.

Tom McINTOSH: Yes, great stuff, Ms Watt, who has just informed the house that she attended it, but she would not have attended the new 99-place kinder which we officially opened. It was great. We had all the kids, we had the families and we had teachers and staff. I really want to thank Susan and Cheryl and everyone at Community Kinders Plus. It is great for local families to avoid the dreaded double drop-off. We have got the kinder right on site there next to Tootgarook Primary, so as the kids go through free three- and four-year-old kinder, getting ready for primary school, they are familiar with the primary school. Leigh and the team are just next door; it is an incredible thing for the local community. Talking of kinders, I also got the chance to drop into Korumburra, the new kinder there – the 66-place Karmai kinder, also based at the primary school – and see how things have flourished there since they have opened. It is unbelievable it has already been a year and a half. It was great to see all the kids and teachers and staff there.