Anne Urquhart (Braddon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about the Albanese Labor government's unwavering commitment to giving every Australian child the best possible start in life. Where a child is born or what their parents do for work should never determine the quality of education and care they receive in those critical early years. We know the evidence is clear. Quality early learning lays the foundation for lifelong health, learning and wellbeing. It supports children to thrive at school, strengthens families and builds stronger, more productive communities. That is why the Albanese Labor government is investing in early childhood education like never before.

In August last year I was notified of CatholicCare's decision to close the only childcare centre in Latrobe, in my electorate of Braddon. This was devastating news, as 55 families were suddenly left worried about where they would get care and 23 dedicated staff were left facing uncertainty about their future. For an entire community, the closure of St Patrick's childcare centre meant the loss of a vital local service. The centre was the only service of its kind in Latrobe. There were no alternative providers in town. Families were forced to look outside of their own community for care, often to centres already stretched with long waitlists and limited capacity.

That was simply not acceptable, so I worked tirelessly alongside Latrobe Council, Lady Gowrie Tasmania and the Tasmanian government to find a solution that put families first. Thanks to the Albanese Labor government, we delivered exactly that. Through the Community Child Care Fund, Lady Gowrie Tasmania was awarded $334,000. Combined with $200,000 from the Tasmanian government, this funding ensured that Latrobe had ongoing access to high-quality early learning and care. This investment delivered real and immediate relief for local families impacted by the unexpected closure, and I'm pleased to announce that the temporary facility will open this Monday, 16 February.

This is an important milestone for Latrobe because it means children can once again access the early education opportunities they deserve, close to home in their own community, with the same educators that they've been used to and that parents support. This is not an isolated investment. During the 2025 election campaign, we committed up to $4 million to Malangenna Children's Centre in Devonport to double the number of places to 150. There has been a historic investment in early education for Tasmania, one that will strengthen our regional communities, support working families and ensure more children get the very best start in life.

The Albanese government and the Tasmanian government have reached a landmark agreement delivering $25.5 million through the $1 billion Building Early Education Fund alongside a further $5 million from the Tasmanian government. This partnership will significantly expand not-for-profit early learning services right across our state. As part of this investment, the Albanese Labor government will provide $4 million for a brand new early learning service at St Marys District School in Lyons, creating 24 new places for local children; $3.5 million for a new service at Bruny Island District School, delivering 20 new places for families on the island; and $3 million for Bothwell District High School, providing 20 new day-long care places for families in the Central Highlands. The two governments will also work together to deliver a new early learning service at Glen Huon Primary School, further strengthening access to care and education in the Huon Valley.

The Building Early Education Fund is designed to target areas of greatest need, particularly regional communities and outer suburbs, where access has been limited for far too long. It means more families can access quality, affordable early learning close to home. It means less pressure on parents, and it means stronger local communities. These investments are not just about buildings. They are about supporting parents to participate in the workplace; they are about strengthening the economic future of regional Tasmania; and they are about ensuring that every child, no matter where they live, has access to opportunities that set them up for lifelong success.

This is what Labor governments do. We invest in families, we invest in communities and we invest in the future of our younger Australians to give them the best start in life. We know that early education provides that support for our young children. It gives them a real head start in life when they go through an early education, and I'm really happy that we have supported that right across Tasmania, particularly in the electorate of Braddon.

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