Wednesday, 5 February 2025

Windsor Community Children’s Centre

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:06): (782) My question is to the Minister for Children. Minister, I refer to the Windsor Community Children’s Centre situated on land gifted by the state government to Swinburne in 2013 and which, according to the Minister for Skills and TAFE in a letter, will, prior to commencing the disposal process, need ‘input and endorsement from the Department of Education and Training’. Minister, did your department give this endorsement despite such a sale being the death knell for the Windsor community childcare centre, and if so, why did you allow this harsh action?

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:07): I am not sure if Mr Davis maybe was not here for his first question time as leader yesterday, because we spoke about these issues yesterday. But from the outset I would remind those in this house that child care is – not dissimilar to the conversation we were just having in relation to the questions that remain unanswered around the national disability insurance scheme – a Commonwealth government responsibility. Our role is in the delivery of kindergarten services – three-year-old kinder and four-year-old kinder. Free kinder – have you worked out yet on that side of the house whether you support free kinder? Because your Shadow Minister for Education has written to me asking for kinders to be able to charge fees to parents. This side of the house is committed to free kinder, and in Stonnington we are committed to ensuring that every three-year-old and every four-year-old has access to free kinder.

As I explained yesterday, Mr Davis – had you been paying attention – my department, the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing –

David Davis: On a point of order, President, it is a very, very simple question: did the minister or the department give the endorsement and, if so, why did they take that action?

The PRESIDENT: I thought the original question was ‘Did your department give input?’ not ‘endorsement’. I will call the minister back to that question. It is not just one side of the chamber, but it is really hard to hear the minister’s answer. I think the minister should be able to give her answer in silence.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN: As I was seeking to explain, the Department of Education and the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing are each working to ensure that children who are three-year-olds and four-year-olds have access to kinder. Indeed just this morning, as I will be pleased to update you on in my ministerial statement, we made an announcement about inclusive kindergarten. Mr Davis – through you, President –

Gayle Tierney: On a point of order, President, I am sitting right next to Minister Blandthorn, and I cannot hear her because she is being screamed at by Mr Davis from the other side of the chamber.

The PRESIDENT: I uphold the point of order. If a question gets asked, I think respect the minister trying to respond to the question.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN: What I want to be clear about is that discussions between the Windsor Community Children’s Centre and the Swinburne University of Technology are a matter for those parties. Rezoning is a matter for the Minister for Planning.

Sonja Terpstra: On a point of order, President, I ask that Mr Davis stop aggressively pointing at the minister as she is trying to answer the question. You have just ruled that Minister Blandthorn should be heard in silence, without assistance, and Mr Davis has not taken heed of your previous ruling. I ask that the minister be allowed to continue in silence.

The PRESIDENT: I uphold the point of order. Pointing has been ruled disorderly in a number of precedents.

Georgie Crozier interjected.

The PRESIDENT: Taking up the interjection, that applies to everyone. Mr Davis, please, you have asked a question. If we cannot hear the minister’s answer because of your interjections, I think you are getting to the point where you are making your question void.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN: On this side of the house we know how important it is that every family with three- and four-year-old children can access child care and kindergarten in their local area. Child care is the responsibility of the Commonwealth government, and I would urge anyone in this chamber who has issues in relation to the delivery of child care in Stonnington to take that up with the Commonwealth government. But from our perspective, what we are interested in ensuring is that every three-year-old and every four-year-old in Stonnington can get access to the Best Start, Best Life reforms, which include free kinder. Those opposite do not support free kinder, but our priority on this side of the house is working with Stonnington, as I know that the Department of Education are doing, to ensure that every three-year-old and every four-year-old can access free kinder.

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:12): I note that the minister did not answer directly the simple question of whether the department gave the endorsement or not and, if so, why they took the harsh action. The community will be able to understand the reason she did not answer it is because they did give the endorsement and they have given the green light to the sale. I ask: Minister, will you insist the Windsor Community Children’s Centre be given at a minimum a reprieve of 12 months, until 31 December 2026, before its lease expires and it puts the children out on the street?

The PRESIDENT: I am concerned that is not a question that comes under this minister’s responsibilities.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, I just indicate that the other minister’s letter makes it clear that the department needs to give approval, this minister’s department, and in that sense she does have responsibility.

The PRESIDENT: I think the original question mentioned input rather than approval.

Ryan Batchelor: On the point of order, President, the supplementary question made reference to the lease. The land is owned by Swinburne University, which is the landlord. It is not within the minister’s responsibilities to have that lease.

The PRESIDENT: Before a further point of order, Mr Davis, I think, Mr Batchelor, that I reflected your point of order in that I said that I am not too sure if this would fall inside her responsibilities. I was going to give her an opportunity to answer anyway.

David Davis: Further to the point of order, President, the letter I quoted said that before commencing the disposal process they needed ‘input and endorsement from the Department of Education and Training’ – input and endorsement – just in response to that point of order.

Ryan Batchelor: Further to the point of order, President, the Department of Education and Training ceased as part of the machinery of government changes in December 2022. Perhaps Mr Davis could clarify what department under the administration of the minister he thinks this is relevant to.

The PRESIDENT: I am not too sure if that is a point of order. I am loath to put a question to Mr Davis on that, given that it is the non-government members that ask questions. But given the points of order, as I indicated at the time – I never want to assume too much that I am the fount – I am not too sure if this question would be under the minister’s responsibility, but I am happy to give the minister a chance to answer.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:15): I again thank Mr Davis and the chamber for their assistance, and I would reiterate that discussions between the Windsor Community Children’s Centre and Swinburne University of Technology are a matter for those parties. My advice is that the Windsor Community Children’s Centre can continue to operate from the Union Street site until late in 2025. But what I will also say is the Victorian School Building Authority and the Department of Education are working very closely to ensure that where our responsibility extends to the delivery of free kinder there are sufficient free kinder places for every three-year-old and every four-year-old in Stonnington.

David Davis interjected.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN: Please do not point at me, Mr Davis. Where there are issues in relation to the long day care, you should take them up with the Commonwealth.