Tuesday, 22 September 2026

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (15:04): (2630) My question is for the Minister for Children. Families in Hopetoun have been without a childcare centre for more than two years following the closure of the local early years centre, with the community now facing the prospect of another two years without a service. At the same time the local kindergarten has also been temporarily relocated to the senior citizens building, displacing those who were using this service. When parents cannot access child care, they cannot participate fully in the workforce, and businesses and the economy suffer as a result. Local families without access to care have already stated that they have had to reduce their work hours and increase their travel time. Regional Victorians should not be left behind simply because they live outside of Melbourne, yet stories like this are all too common across my region of Northern Victoria. Will the minister commit to a new integrated early years facility to provide a long-term solution for this community?