The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham MP, has called on the Carroll Labor Government to provide a solution to Hopetoun’s escalating early years crisis, with local families having been without childcare since April 2024.
Ms Benham raised the issue with Minister for Children, Lizzie Blandthorn MP, in Parliament, highlighting growing demand for services in the community and the lack of a suitable facility.
There are 27 children enrolled in kindergarten this year, while 15 families have expressed interest in childcare.
“Hopetoun families have been without childcare for more than two years, and just as Emerge Early Years was preparing to reopen, serious water, mould and structural damage forced the centre to close again, potentially for another two years,” Ms Benham said.
The town’s kindergarten has been forced to operate from the local senior citizens building. Ms Benham said the temporary arrangement was not fit for purpose and was also restricting older residents from using the building.
“Now we have a situation where our seniors are being displaced so that our children can access kindergarten, while there is still nowhere to accommodate the childcare families are asking for.
“That is robbing Peter to pay Paul, and it is not a sustainable solution.
“The Department of Education has said there is no relocatable building available and that a $2.5 million rebuild is not justified.
“It is time for the Government to provide a solution. The Minister for Children has a responsibility to make sure families have access to the services they need, and it is time for her to step up and sort this out.
“Regional communities should not have to accept second-rate solutions simply because they live outside Melbourne. We can’t continue to be placed out of sight and out of mind.
“Country kids matter, country families matter and country communities matter.
