The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, said that childcare issues across the region must be addressed in 2025, as the Allan Labor Government’s lack of action towards providing more options had left too many young families in difficult positions.
Despite Labor announcing in 2023 that Seymour would be receiving a new childcare centre, the decision has now been shelved with the town not set to receive a government-run facility until 2032, if at all.
Ms Cleeland said if this was the timeline for towns already earmarked for a new centre, then it would be disastrous for other towns in the region in desperate need of more childcare.
“In recent months, Labor has seemingly abandoned their plans to build more childcare facilities leaving our communities in difficult positions,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Despite boasting about a game-changing new childcare initiative, this government has failed to address a major issue in our towns with just five new facilities across the entire state scheduled to be ready in 2025.
“Towns like Seymour, which was previously named as the home to one of the government’s 50 new childcare centres, is now not expected to have a facility until 2032 at the earliest.
“This is just one of many towns in our region crying out for more childcare. The Benalla region has the least available childcare in the entire state, with massive waitlists in Nagambie and other areas across our region, while Avenel has no childcare center at all.
“Once again, this government has shown they are incapable of improving life for regional families.”
Ms Cleeland has been advocating for more childcare in the region since being elected, which has included organising studies into local availability, developing policy, raising the need for more facilities in Parliament, arranging community surveys, and meeting with the Minister for Children.
“Not having enough available childcare has a massive impact on the future of our smaller towns with many families forced to relocate most of their lives to bigger centres for improved access,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Additionally, we already have extreme cost of living pressures, as well as a labour crisis – making more childcare options so important to ensure parents can return to work and alleviate these issues.”
Ms Cleeland said she would continue to raise the issue in Parliament in 2025, advocating for the thousands of young families struggling with the current accessibility and availability of childcare.
“The Allan Labor Government must recognise that too many families are being put at a disadvantage due
“Labor has proven they cannot manage childcare effectively, and it is our regional families that are paying the price.”
