ANHLC and ANHLC members mentioned in Federal Parliament

ANHLC and several ANHLC members were mentioned in Federal Parliament this month when Shadow Childcare Minister Sussan Ley tabled a private member’s motion calling on the Federal government to restore funding for Neighbourhood Model Occasional Care.

Greens MP Adam Bandt also spoke in support of the motion.

Member for Farrer Sussan Ley said ‘in Victoria alone, thousands of families are set to be adversely affected when temporary financial support from the Victorian Government runs out next month.’

The motion occurred on the same day a petition containing 3000 signatures was lodged for assessment before its tabling to the House of Representatives.

Ms Ley said the petitioners were parents and providers concerned about losing occasional child care services in their communities. She cited examples:

‘a parent to four boys from Greensborough in Melbourne; a single dad, working odd jobs to make ends meet; a mum from Warrnambool. The list goes on and the names go on. There is the Rosanna Fire Station Community House, the Sale Neighbourhood House, Grovedale Community Centre in the City of Geelong and the Orwil Street Community House in Frankston—only this morning I heard news that this centre will now close [its childcare service] next month. There are others that have or who will be forced to shut their doors: two centres at Chelsea Heights in Melbourne, and another at Mallacoota in East Gippsland.

‘I received a note from an early childhood specialist, who was so concerned about the likely closure of the nearby Uniting Church occasional care that she felt compelled to write: “The threat of closure could likely lead to increased circumstances of family breakdown as parents find themselves unable to access an affordable short-term respite support service that gives them a break from the demands of early years parenting.” There was another letter from a group of parents at Baranduda, neighbouring my own electorate saying: “We are deeply concerned at the threat of losing what has become a valuable and vital community program. It is the ONLY childcare offered in our community. Losing this service will be devastating to our community, our families and most importantly our children”.’

Ms Ley notes, ‘the petition and motion is not just a call to reinstate federal funding for Victoria but every state and territory in Australia.

‘I appreciate the Member for Melbourne’s (Adam Bandt) support for this motion and welcome his call for the Federal Government ‘to step up to the plate’ on this,’ Ms Ley concluded.

Speaking for the motion, Member for Melbourne Adam Bandt said:

‘Occasional child care is provided by 128 Neighbourhood houses in Victoria and these providers have a reasonable expectation that their state government will fund them to provide programs which support and develop their communities. At this point, I would like to congratulate the Association of Neighbourhood houses and Learning Centres, in particular Angela Savage, for their tireless work on this issue on behalf of houses in their communities.’

It is encouraging to see that Occasional Child Care funding continues to receive attention and generate discussion at all levels of government and across all political parties. I salute the parents and providers in affected communities who continue to make it known to their local Federal and State MPs that governments have underestimated the importance of these services and need to review their policies to support occasional child care provision.