MEMBER for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland has met with childcare leaders across her electorate, expressing fear that much of the region had become a ‘childcare desert’.
Ms Cleeland met with Ronni Druitt from not-for-profit group Goulburn Regional Preschool Association, GRPSA, to discuss childcare and kinder availability.
Among the topics of discussion were the reforming of licencing arrangements to better reflect regional circumstances.
Ms Cleeland said organisations like GRPSA were attempting to address a lack of childcare availability in the region.
“We have extreme cost of living pressures, as well as a labour crisis – more accessible childcare is important to ensure parents can return to work and alleviate these issues,” she said.
“So much of our region has been designated a childcare desert, something I know so many young families are aware of every day.
“Ronni and her team at GRPSA run 18 preschool centres right across the Goulburn Valley with many facilities having extensive waitlists and not enough licensed places.
“We’ve got huge shortages in Avenel, Nagambie and Seymour. While Seymour is receiving a new childcare centre, these issues won’t be resolved overnight.”
Ms Cleeland said reform was necessary to address childcare deficiencies, with significant overlap in responsibilities between different levels of government.
“Childcare and kinder regulations are incredibly complex. For a regional centre, there are licencing, management and land arrangements that often involve all three levels of government,” she said.
“In metro areas, childcare centres are usually separated from kindergartens whereas this isn’t the case in regional areas.
“This has real implications for availability of care with organisations like GRPSA having to make difficult decisions.
“The status quo is not working. I’ve experienced this firsthand and we need to have a serious conversation on reform and simplification to make this process work for our local economy and most importantly our families.”