Tuesday, 18 November 2025

 Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:42): Earlier this month I was pleased to announce the commencement of the new kindergarten audit and assurance program. This is a dedicated auditing program designed to provide for increased confidence in the important funding of our kindergarten programs. It builds upon our extensive package of reforms both in relation to child safety and quality, which are implemented in line with the recommendations from the child safety rapid review. In addition to those reforms, this program assesses how providers use kindergarten funding and will also check compliance in areas such as staffing, management and program delivery.

This is a dedicated auditing program with its aim to detect and prevent any misuse of public funds. It is also to ensure that all funds have been directed to ensure quality and safe provision of early childhood education to Victorian children. Under this program, providers found to be deliberately doing the wrong thing face decisive action which could include termination of funding. Services making genuine efforts with only minor or accidental errors will receive targeted support to maintain compliance. Audits under this program are commencing, and in the first year around 100 providers will be audited, covering more than 400 early childhood services. This represents around $100 million of Victorian kindergarten funding annually. Every year at least 10 per cent of services are to be audited.

The kindergarten audit and assurance program will cover all types and all sizes of providers, as well as both for-profit and not-for-profit services. This program sends a clear message: kindergarten funding is for children’s learning, not for profit. By holding providers to account, we are giving parents and carers confidence that every kindergarten dollar is supporting their children’s education and not being wasted.

Ryan Batchelor: On a point of order, President, in relation to at least one and possibly two questions that were asked during question time being identical to questions that were asked last week. Dr Heath word for word asked a question that Mr Davis, when he was Leader of the Opposition, asked last week about the Silver review. Just some clarification so that we do not have repeats of repeating questions if the same question rule still applies to this place and whether the new leadership can ask old questions.

The PRESIDENT: The answer to your final question is no, but I think that what I might do, Mr Batchelor, is have a look back at last week’s Hansard and the one before. There definitely is a no same question within six months rule, and it remains in the standing orders. But for my edification I might have a look back.