Mr BALCH - 1999-06-08
Minister, last week I asked you a question in this House regarding the development of a wonderful new child care facility at Darwin Hospital. You’re aware that as local member, I’ve been working with the Jingili Primary School on a similar project. We’ve been waiting for some time on word from the Commonwealth government as to the future of the Jingili Family Centre, which will incorporate the Marrara Family Centre that has been earmarked for a change of location for some time now. Can the minister confirm that he has now received an undertaking from the federal Minister for Community Services, the Hon Warren Truss, that funds have now been allocated for this exciting new project?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, an excellent question. It is a question based on the business of government doing what it does best, and that’s improving the lot of Territorians. I notice how that offends those on the other side so much.
In 1992, the National Childcare Strategy came into place, and it was noisily received, particularly by those opposite. But under that strategy, there were 100 centre-based childcare places that were scheduled for development in a CBD. Forty of those were still up for grabs last year, and the previous Minister for Health, Family and Children’s Services, got onto the then federal minister, Judy Moylan, to see if we could broaden it to take in the northern suburbs. They were put out for tender, and I’m pleased to say that the Jingili School Council agreed to sponsor a 40-place child-care centre on the school grounds. This is an innovative thing, and it’s something that Jingili School Council is to be applauded for.
At about the same time, we looked to the capital replacement upgrading program to replace the 50-place Marrara Family Centre, which is ageing - I think circa about the cyclone - and which has been located, some say inappropriately, in the Marrara Sporting Complex.
The discussions that took place now see us developing a 50-place facility, which would incorporate the Marrara Family Centre, and it would be done under the auspices of the Jingili School Council Incorporated. I’m pleased to say that Minister Truss advised me last Friday that this would go ahead. This is nearly a million-dollar program. It’s about $970 000. $580 000 will come from us and $390 000 from the Commonwealth. It is a good initiative, because what it does is enable a more continuous pathway for some parents who are seeking to place their children in childcare centres that are close to formal education centres. It’s a good initiative for Jingili, because it was a school that was built when it was in the baby booming era of the Housing Commission at Jingili, and the school is now losing students, and I think it is an initiative that can attract students back to the school.
I must place on record my appreciation for the tenacity of the member for Jingili. Since I became a minister he has beaten a pathway to my door on this issue and others. He has been close to this matter and it is his tenacity that has pushed this project hard.
I will be visiting the school at 12.30 today, I hope in conjunction with the media, to talk to the people there. It’s a great initiative. It’s a new approach to childcare and it’s a million dollars in the northern suburbs that improves the life of Territorians.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, an excellent question. It is a question based on the business of government doing what it does best, and that’s improving the lot of Territorians. I notice how that offends those on the other side so much.
In 1992, the National Childcare Strategy came into place, and it was noisily received, particularly by those opposite. But under that strategy, there were 100 centre-based childcare places that were scheduled for development in a CBD. Forty of those were still up for grabs last year, and the previous Minister for Health, Family and Children’s Services, got onto the then federal minister, Judy Moylan, to see if we could broaden it to take in the northern suburbs. They were put out for tender, and I’m pleased to say that the Jingili School Council agreed to sponsor a 40-place child-care centre on the school grounds. This is an innovative thing, and it’s something that Jingili School Council is to be applauded for.
At about the same time, we looked to the capital replacement upgrading program to replace the 50-place Marrara Family Centre, which is ageing - I think circa about the cyclone - and which has been located, some say inappropriately, in the Marrara Sporting Complex.
The discussions that took place now see us developing a 50-place facility, which would incorporate the Marrara Family Centre, and it would be done under the auspices of the Jingili School Council Incorporated. I’m pleased to say that Minister Truss advised me last Friday that this would go ahead. This is nearly a million-dollar program. It’s about $970 000. $580 000 will come from us and $390 000 from the Commonwealth. It is a good initiative, because what it does is enable a more continuous pathway for some parents who are seeking to place their children in childcare centres that are close to formal education centres. It’s a good initiative for Jingili, because it was a school that was built when it was in the baby booming era of the Housing Commission at Jingili, and the school is now losing students, and I think it is an initiative that can attract students back to the school.
I must place on record my appreciation for the tenacity of the member for Jingili. Since I became a minister he has beaten a pathway to my door on this issue and others. He has been close to this matter and it is his tenacity that has pushed this project hard.
I will be visiting the school at 12.30 today, I hope in conjunction with the media, to talk to the people there. It’s a great initiative. It’s a new approach to childcare and it’s a million dollars in the northern suburbs that improves the life of Territorians.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016