Josh Burns (Macnamara, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was so pleased to join literally hundreds of local families outside the St Kilda Town Hall just a couple of weeks ago, before the sitting period. We united to send a clear message to the City of Port Phillip: do not sell off our local childcare and childhood education centres. Do not sell off our early childhood centres—simple!

The City of Port Phillip has been on this crusade based on incorrect information, provided by council officers, that councillors should sell off these places because there are some upgrades that need to happen to these local centres. There are. But the advice that was given to the councillors was that the state government would invest in upgrading these facilities only if there were a minimum 66 places, which is complete nonsense. It's complete nonsense and it is the whole basis on which the City of Port Phillip has gone through this long and really upsetting process to sell off our incredible local childcare and childhood education centres. They don't need to sell them. The state government, thanks to an excellent letter written by the Minister for Early Childhood, Ms Ingrid Stitt, has come to the table and said to the City of Port Phillip, loud and clear: 'We are at the table. Do not sell off these early childhood centres. We are going to be there to support you and to support the City of Port Phillip. We understand that you can't do it on your own. There is money available. It doesn't matter how big or small these centres are, the state government is here to help fund them.'

This is an absolute turning point that the City of Port Phillip should grasp and say, 'We're going to pause all intentions to sell and we're going sit down in good faith with the state government and work our way through the upgrades that need to happen at these centres.' That's what should happen today. Instead, over the last week, the City of Port Phillip have been issuing public intention-to-sell notices. The mayor attended the rally with hundreds of families. Councillors attended the rally with hundreds of families. This is something where the council isn't going to have to fix it by itself. There's a $6 million maintenance levy fund that have been funding the centres, which should be utilised in partnership with the state government. My message to the City of Port Phillip is: 'Stop. Stop your plan to sell off our local childcare and childhood centres. You don't need to sell them. You have a partner in the state government who is willing, in good faith, to join you.'

I want to thank all of the parents who have spoken up and who have led this campaign. We will keep fighting. I would urge the City of Port Phillip to end this crusade to sell off our centres. Now is not the time to do it. They are too valuable, and we need them to continue.