Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Friday, I visited Bubup Wilam for Early Learning Aboriginal Child and Family Centre in Thomastown with Richard Wynne MP, Victorian shadow minister for Aboriginal affairs and Closing the Gap and Jenny Mikakos MLC, Victorian shadow minister for community services, shadow minister for children and shadow minister for seniors and ageing. This followed a visit in the previous week by the Leader of the Opposition and Senator Nova Peris. Since my election I have enjoyed a close association with the centre, following on from my predecessor, Harry Jenkins. I have developed a deep appreciation of its powerful impact. Bubup Wilam was opened in February 2012. It is the first and, for now, only Aboriginal child and family centre in Melbourne and one of only two in Victoria . It was established by the previous Labor government as part of the Closing the Gap COAG agenda. I am pleased to say that every level of government contributed something to the project, with the federal government contributing $8.2 million, the former state Labor government contributing half a million dollars, and the City of Whittlesea providing the land itself. I am very pleased that there is now strong and established community support for the centre, which is at capacity and achieving great results.

One of the parents, Jamie Williamson of Wollert, has his 11-month old daughter at Bubup Wilam four days a week. Jamie and his partner cherish the role the centre plays in providing a place for cultural learning that their daughter would not otherwise receive at a mainstream childcare centre. They worry about what would happen should Bubup Wilam no longer be able to provide these learnings. They, like many Australians, took at face value the Prime Minister's claim that he would be a 'Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs'. I thought that the Prime Minister's impressive Closing the Gap speech accorded with this, and I applauded his new commitment then to increase the rate of school attendance for Indigenous children. However, it is difficult to reconcile the Prime Minister's commitment with these, effectively, cuts to Aboriginal child and family centres.

Federal and state Labor and council have invested in Bubup Wilam because they understand that there is more to Closing the Gap than just giving speeches. Regrettably, the coalition has refused to commit any specific funding for the ongoing operation of these centres. The minister complains that Labor did not commit additional funding over the forward estimates. Is the minister really suggesting that if Labor had committed funding for additional years this funding would have remained off limits? Given the minister's claim that funding the centre's operations are not the Commonwealth's responsibility and the sweeping cuts and broken promises made in the budget, including to Indigenous affairs, I very much doubt it.

On a positive note, however, I am pleased to advise that the local council, the City of Whittlesea, continues to support the ongoing operations of Bubup Wilam. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the present Victorian government. It is worth noting that Wendy Lovell, the Minister for Housing and Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development, has been invited to Bubup Wilam but has not attended. I am glad that Richard Wynne and Jenny Mikakos know the value of the centre and that they made the time to visit and to constructively engage and understand the important work that is being done there. It is a positive sign for this community, where there have been few of late. I think there is cause for optimism with the people of Victoria having an opportunity to set things right in the Victorian context on 29 November. I hope that they do. I can only think of the tragic waste of resources and good will should two coalition governments continue on their current path of abandonment.

Yesterday, during question time, the Prime Minister was given an opportunity by the Leader of the Opposition to take a practical step to close the gap and fund this and the other 37 centres. Unfortunately, he declined to do so. Labor has a proven track record in taking practical measures to close the gap. I like to think that we have set a good example for this government to follow and that bipartisanship can characterise our engagement in this vital national endeavour. But, in the meantime, I will continue to fight for the future of Bubup Wilam and the community it serves, because it must be allowed to continue its good work. I call on the Prime Minister to reconsider his response yesterday and to continue to support the 70 Aboriginal children in Melbourne's north to get the start in life that they deserve.