Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to share a narrative with the House about a tragic event in Tarneit across the last two weeks, where we had a car crash into a childcare centre and the childcare centre was destroyed in a fire. On Friday I met with Samantha Johnson with her husband Ian, who were operating this early education and childhood centre, to hear about how the families that had been impacted were coping and how she and her husband were coping. Despite the enormous stress on Samantha and her husband, they had every child from their centre placed in another childcare centre within days and every member of their staff employed directly by another childcare centre in days.

This is the kind of commitment to education that can only put a smile on the faces of those in this chamber. In talking to Sam, I got the distinct impression that I was talking to a committed educator, but then the accolades rang in on my Facebook page. From Renee:

They have created a new standard in exceptional service and that is why so many local families are eagerly awaiting their return.

From Jan, an employee:

I've never seen in all my placement time and work before Sam employed me the passion and professionalism the centre had for kids and their families.

I want to commend Sam and Ian Johnson for the work they are doing and, with the families involved, hope that they get up and running quickly so that these families can get back to their centre.