Kinder care: Pictured from left are Gillian Kamp and Saskia, Alastair Thomson, MP Wendy Lovell holding Mietta next to Nicola Wojcik with Daniel and, at back right, Lyndal Bayles with Vivian. Picture: Tommy Ritchie 55598
Erin Pearson
A COALITION state government would provide $1 million for a new kindergarten at Barwon Heads, shadow early childhood minister Wendy Lovell announced yesterday.
Ms Lovell made the pre-election pledge after parents raised “multiple” issues on child care and kindergartens during a meeting with her in Geelong.
Ms Lovell said Barwon Heads’ kinder had outgrown its existing building.
The Independent revealed earlier this year that the facility had joined a Torquay kinder in cancelling three-year-old classes next year due to inadequate space to meet demand. Three-year-old classes were also under pressure in Geelong.
“The current (Barwon Heads) kindergarten is inadequate and failing to meet the needs of the region’s growing population,” Ms Lovell said.
“I have been advised by current kindergarten parents that some children are expected to miss out on three and four-year-old kindergarten in 2011 due to the chronic shortage of places in Barwon Heads.”
Liberal candidate for South Barwon Andrew Katos said a coalition government would work with council and Barwon Heads residents to choose a site.
The building would replace the existing kinder and child health centre to combine them on a single site, he said.
The coalition also promised to address Geelong’s child care squeeze during the meeting with parents.
Ms Lovell said parents across the state had expressed concern over Commonwealth plans to increase kinder hours to 15 hours a week from 2013.
The increase required $606 million in Victorian infrastructure investments and 600 to 800 extra teachers, she said.
“If (the coalition is) elected on November I would call on Federal Government to put up funding for this infrastructure. We want to make sure there is a place for every child right across the state.”
Geelong mother-of-two Nicola Wojcik said parents had little information about the 15-hour policy or how it would impact on kinder operations.
“We don’t want to lose three-year-old places because of this change,” she said.
“A majority of our playgroup has kids in these classes and we can see the benefits.”
State Early Childhood Development Minister Maxine Morand had not returned the Independent’s call for comment when the paper went to press.
