Regional Victoria’s childcare and kindergarten challenges were discussed on Wednesday at an online forum hosted by Nationals Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland.
Ms Cleeland has regularly advocated for greater accessibility and availability of both childcare and kindergarten in the region, raising the issue in Parliament and criticising the Labor Government’s lack of planning when announcing reforms.
“The Allan Labor Government’s kinder reforms and rollout of new childcare centres have compounded challenges for early learning providers in the region,” Ms Cleeland said.
“With kindergartens, staff shortages across the sector have been amplified, and classes are now being combined to compensate for the lack of available teachers.
“These parents were not consulted, and the decision has been made suddenly and without time for the staff, parents, or children to prepare.
“While we want to make kinder accessible for all, this is not the way to do it.
“Unfortunately, with our regional kindergartens already struggling with staff shortages, a lack of facilities, and high demand, the free kinder program has done nothing but add pressure to our local providers.”
When it comes to childcare, Ms Cleeland said those at the forum expressed concern over multi-year waitlists, a lack of staff, families needing to travel long distances, and parents being unable to get back to work.
“As things currently stand, regional Victoria is in dire need of more childcare,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Sadly, so many communities across our state, including many in my electorate of Euroa, are set to remain without childcare despite desperately needing them.
“Towns like Avenel and Nagambie are struggling with outrageous waitlists caused by a lack of childcare and early learning facilities.
“Not having facilities will have a massive impact on the town’s future – with families choosing to relocate most of their lives to bigger centres like Shepparton.
“We already have extreme cost of living pressures, as well as a labour crisis –making more accessible childcare so important to ensure parents can return to work and alleviate these issues.
“The reforms announced by Labor have been yet another example of this Government’s city-centric policy that has ignored the impact it will have on regional Victoria.”
Ms Cleeland expressed her thanks to all the parents and providers who attended the forum and helped contribute to the advocacy efforts to improve childcare and kindergarten availability and accessibility in the region.
