Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move that the motion be amended in the terms as circulated to honourable members in the chamber. For the sake of clarity, this amendment reads as follows:

That paragraphs 3-8 be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

(3) calls on the Federal Government and the Victorian Government to work together to ensure that:

(a) the principles of ‘Universal Access’ are fully implemented in Victoria; and

(b) each kindergarten in Victoria is sufficiently funded to meet its ‘Universal Access’ obligations without compromising its ability to offer 3 year old kindergarten.

The motion that has been moved by the member for Aston does refer to some very real issues. In Victoria, where three-year-old kindergartens are often co-located with four-year-old kindergartens, there are some real questions and some real concerns about what the effect of moving to universal access will be. But the answer to that is not to move away from the universal access policy. It is a very good policy that deserves support and the kindergarten parents I speak to want to make sure that not only is universal access implemented but that it has done in a way that allows three-year-old kindergarten to continue. It is on that basis that I move my amendment.

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