Nickolas Varvaris (Barton, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a recent sunny Saturday morning, I had the pleasure of visiting the Bunny Cottage Preschool and Long Day Care Centre in Bexley, a family-oriented suburb in the electorate of Barton. I was invited by the director and owner of the centre, a qualified childhood educator, Ms Sharon Akkanen, to their 20th birthday celebrations. Like other child care centres across Australia, the Bunny Cottage plays a pivotal role in the community for working parents. It is symbolic of a fundamental social pillar—families. I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking to parents that day and discussing with them the importance of quality child care. While some are privileged to have the help of extended family members to care for their children, I fully realise that not everybody has that luxury. The Bunny Cottage is a firm reminder of the importance of such an institution to families where childhood educators provide quality programs to adapt young children to society.

The Bunny Cottage should be commended for providing quality education and care in a home-like and nurturing environment. It has been operated by the same family since 1994. Their strict adherence to small intakes ensures quality provision of services in the crucial stages of children's development. With our population expanding and parents juggling work and family commitments, child care centres like the Bunny Cottage are precious resources in our communities. We are fortunate in Barton to have such a fantastic centre run by dedicated staff to prepare our youngest generation.