Nicolette Boele (Bradfield, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

We have an early childhood education and care problem, but it's not the one that you might think. Bradfield is experiencing a childcare glut, and it's a nuanced problem. The primary driver of oversupply is the New South Wales government planning reforms that removed local councils' power to regulate where childcare centres could be built. This allowed developers to bypass local demand assessments and build centres wherever they were permitted. It was assumed that Bradfield, being one of the wealthier electorates, would have high demand for childcare places due to its high- and dual-income households, strong female workforce participation and high property values. The result of oversupply is that smaller centres are becoming unviable.

The recent news that a favourite local preschool will be closing has left many in my community reeling. For 44 years, the KU Chatswood Community Preschool has been providing affordable, high-quality early education. Its lease with Willoughby City Council is expiring in December and the council will not be renewing it, favouring a for-profit long day care centre instead. Community preschools are beloved by families and have huge waiting lists. They provide families with choice for early education and care for their children. Long day care centres are appropriate for some families at some stages of their children's lives but are generally more expensive per hour than community preschools. I call on the federal government to consider all options to support local councils in keeping community preschools open. (Time expired)

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