Steph Hodgins-May (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today, I'd like to speak about the slated closure of two community owned and loved high-quality childcare centres: Windsor Community Children's Centre and Gardiner Preschool. These centres are in the city of Stonnington in Victoria, which is projected to have a shortfall of 600-plus childcare places in 2030—and that is without taking Windsor's and Gardiner's closures into account. Both centres are crucial to the lives of local families. They aren't just buildings; they're pillars of support for parents and children alike, having served their communities for decades. Yet, they risk being shut down, as landowners plan to sell the properties, and these centres simply cannot afford to move.

This is another stark example of the gap between Labor's rhetoric and its actions. Labor talks a big game when it comes to early childhood education, but when it matters most it fails to protect not-for-profit centres in areas with high demand for these services. In fact, they've done nothing to help Windsor community centre, which has been around for 27 years, and Gardiner preschool, an incredible 80 years.

These centres have given children a safe, nurturing space to learn and grow. They provide an equal start in life and a lifeline for parents who depend on affordable, high-quality education and care. But the closure of these centres is not just an inconvenience; it's a devastating blow to working families, particularly those already struggling to make ends meet. Parents will be left scrambling for alternatives in a city where demand for early childhood education is already sky-high. Worse still, children will be uprooted from their familiar environments and trusted educators, affecting their development and sense of stability.

Labor love to talk about expanding access to early childhood education, but when it comes to real action they're nowhere to be found. The local council has indicated interest in buying the land, but it can't afford it. In Windsor's case the Victoria government could easily intervene and stop this sale by maintaining the land zoning for public use. Instead, Labor is sitting idly by, allowing these essential centres to be sold off to the highest bidder. These closures are wholly incompatible with the Albanese government's talk of universal child care. How can they claim to care about children and their families when they are allowing this to happen under their watch? It's profit over people and yet another example of Labor's broken promises.

The Greens believe that child care should be free, accessible and high-quality. These centres should be built for families, not corporate profits. Community controlled centres like Windsor and Gardiner provide care that is tailored to local needs, ensuring our children get the best start in life. That's why we're demanding that the Labor government act now. They must ensure that these centres remain in the local community. We cannot let profit dictate the future of our children's education. Labor must step up, protect these community led centres and tell their Victorian colleagues to stop the rezoning of Windsor Community Children's Centre's land.

Parents, community members and those who care about the future of our children's education must stand together. We must voice our opposition to these closures and join the families and educators of Windsor Community Children's Centre and Gardiner Preschool in their fight. We must tell the local Labor representatives in Macnamara and Chisholm that these closures are unacceptable. We must use our vote at the next federal election to hold Labor accountable for their inaction.

This fight isn't just about two childcare centres; it's about Labor's broader failure to protect community services. They talk about supporting families and working for Australia, but their actions, or lack thereof, speak louder than their words. The Greens will continue to fight for these centres and for the protection of not-for-profit community-driven services that are vital to our society, because we are committed to putting families and communities, not corporate profits, first.

It's with great pleasure that, as a Greens senator for Victoria, I have the opportunity to share speeches from two bright young Victorians, as part of the Raise Our Voice in Parliament initiative. The first speech is from 17-year-old Ella who lives in the electorate of Indi, in north-west Victoria. These are her words:

In 10 years, I want my community to be able to afford the cost of living and the insane prices for basic necessities.

Over years, the prices of things including food and rent have increased so majorly that it has become a struggle just to pay for our basic needs.

In my town of Wangaratta you come across so many homeless people that are living in tents, in parks or house-hopping because the price of living is ridiculous.

It breaks your heart to see people having to live day by day without any food and shelter. Each year, the price of food, rent and taxes go up, while our wages stay the same, leaving us with less and less money.

This topic is important to me because I have seen how it affects families struggling just to pay their rent, let alone food for their kids.

To achieve the goal of lowering the cost of living, Parliament should use our tax in a useful and effective way and build public housing or lower tax prices and the cost of basic necessities, especially food.

On the path we are headed, prices of rent, food and day to day items in 10 years will be unachievable to afford.

If you consider my ideas, I hope the future of my community will be more liveable and possibly reduce the amount of homelessness in my town.

I hope you think about what I have to say. Thank you.

The second speech is from a very young person who lives in my home electorate of Macnamara, in the inner-south of Melbourne:

Hello, My name is Yuvraj and I am 11 years old. I live in Port Melbourne, the Macnamara electorate. I would like to address the issue of gender inequality.

Imagine a scenario where your brother or sister is favoured by your parents and they get more toys, more attention. It wouldn't feel fair, would it?

This is similar to what many women in Australia experience today. On average, for every dollar a man earns, a woman earns 20 cents less for the same work. This is gender inequality. But it doesn't stop at paychecks. It shows up in stereotypes too, like the idea that "Boys can't cook" or "Girls can't play sports."

These outdated beliefs limit opportunities for everyone, and it doesn't belong in a modern society like ours.

It is the government's job to stop these unfair practices but they don't. Is that the future we want?

Would you feel proud to live in a country where half the population is held back by inequality?

In ten years, I want to live in an Australia that has moved beyond these old ideas. An Australia that sets an example for the rest of the world, where gender equality isn't just a goal, but a reality.

Small steps like ensuring equal pay for equal work can make a big difference.

Remember, without raindrops there are no oceans, and without steps, there can be no stairs. Let us take these steps together and finish gender inequality from Australia.

And I think there's a very proud mum watching on as well.

They were two terrific speeches written by two future leaders of our country, Ella and Yuvraj. I give a big thankyou to all of the young people across the country who took part in the Raise Our Voice in Parliament initiative. What's clear from reading the numerous submissions is that the cost of living, gender inequality, climate change and housing are the key issues being felt by young people right across the country. They are also the issues upon which Labor continues to opt for incrementalism instead of the ambition that our young people expect and deserve.

The Greens will continue to push the government to show urgently needed leadership on the issues that matter most to young people. We will continue to campaign to lower the age for you to vote and to have more of a say in the future that you will inherit. Thank you, Ella, Yuvraj and every other person who is watching this speech. Your leadership inspires me, and I'm proud to have brought your voices to our parliament today.