Mr BALCH - 1999-06-03
Minister, I am aware that you launched the Northern Territory Child Care Resource folder last month, which I believe was warmly welcomed by the industry. As you know I have a long standing interest in childcare and recently on a visit to Royal Darwin Hospital I was shown over the new childcare facility that’s being developed up there. This is an impressive and imaginative project. It is going to offer long day care and involves the relocation of the Wanguri Family Centre. Can the minister advise this House on this and any other further initiatives that the Northern Territory government is working on in relation to childcare?
ANSWER
That’s an excellent question, and I know the member for Jingili has a long history in his interest in childcare. He is on the chair, as some may know, of the Jingili Primary School Creche, and has lobbied me extensively about some initiatives in that area that I hope I can bring to this parliament, perhaps in the next sittings or so, and I’m also aware that his wife, Gwyn, has had a long involvement with family day care.
In relation to the project out at Royal Darwin, members who have visited the campus of Royal Darwin would have seen, to their right as they go through the front door, the new Child Care Centre, which has been joint funded at $1.2m. $570 000 came from the Commonwealth and we matched the rest. There are some unique features to it.
I suppose the best feature that I can describe as the health minister is that it’s employer-sponsored child care. This has been a fairly important issue at Royal Darwin. I know previous health ministers have looked to encourage people back into the workforce, particularly the nursing workforce, which members would be aware is predominantly female, and the most telling reason, often, nurses can’t re-enter the workforce is because of childcare. So I’m particularly pleased that it is sited on campus and that it is such a good facility. It has unique features in addition to just being employer-sponsored. It replaces an ageing facility, which is why the Commonwealth were able to put the money into it.
Those members who had a relationship with the Wanguri Family Centre, and I know the member for Wanguri’s children went there, would realise that it was situated in what was the administrative complex of the old Tracy Village complex that was set up after the cyclone, so it wasn’t purpose built, and it was small. It was in a facility that was defence-owned and leased to the Darwin City Council. They had a very short lease-back arrangement, which made it difficult for them to put in the capital works that were necessary. The new facility looks good. It’s at the front entrance of Royal Darwin. It is community-based and focussed not just on those that work at the Royal Darwin, but also shift workers and others, such as evening workers that will use the facility. Members would be aware that one opened at Katherine East in recent months and it’s getting very good utilisation by those people whose job requirements require them to work outside normal working hours.
The new facility will be a 75-place facility which is 43 places up on the current Wanguri Family Centre. I’m confident that those places will be well used. Not only are they day and evening care but they are also after school hours care so it’s quite a flexible arrangement for people in the northern suburbs. I can also advise the House that the lotteries fund has provided some money for playground equipment in the form of a $5000 grant and I’m hopeful that I can get out there in the next week or so and present that cheque to the hard working staff in the child care centre at Royal Darwin.
I believe it’s yet to be named and it’s yet to be opened but I’ll encourage members to go and inspect this facility, particularly those northern suburbs members. I think it’s a great initiative and it builds on the work that we’ve done out of that 5 year child care strategic plan. It’s a good example of good government at work.
ANSWER
That’s an excellent question, and I know the member for Jingili has a long history in his interest in childcare. He is on the chair, as some may know, of the Jingili Primary School Creche, and has lobbied me extensively about some initiatives in that area that I hope I can bring to this parliament, perhaps in the next sittings or so, and I’m also aware that his wife, Gwyn, has had a long involvement with family day care.
In relation to the project out at Royal Darwin, members who have visited the campus of Royal Darwin would have seen, to their right as they go through the front door, the new Child Care Centre, which has been joint funded at $1.2m. $570 000 came from the Commonwealth and we matched the rest. There are some unique features to it.
I suppose the best feature that I can describe as the health minister is that it’s employer-sponsored child care. This has been a fairly important issue at Royal Darwin. I know previous health ministers have looked to encourage people back into the workforce, particularly the nursing workforce, which members would be aware is predominantly female, and the most telling reason, often, nurses can’t re-enter the workforce is because of childcare. So I’m particularly pleased that it is sited on campus and that it is such a good facility. It has unique features in addition to just being employer-sponsored. It replaces an ageing facility, which is why the Commonwealth were able to put the money into it.
Those members who had a relationship with the Wanguri Family Centre, and I know the member for Wanguri’s children went there, would realise that it was situated in what was the administrative complex of the old Tracy Village complex that was set up after the cyclone, so it wasn’t purpose built, and it was small. It was in a facility that was defence-owned and leased to the Darwin City Council. They had a very short lease-back arrangement, which made it difficult for them to put in the capital works that were necessary. The new facility looks good. It’s at the front entrance of Royal Darwin. It is community-based and focussed not just on those that work at the Royal Darwin, but also shift workers and others, such as evening workers that will use the facility. Members would be aware that one opened at Katherine East in recent months and it’s getting very good utilisation by those people whose job requirements require them to work outside normal working hours.
The new facility will be a 75-place facility which is 43 places up on the current Wanguri Family Centre. I’m confident that those places will be well used. Not only are they day and evening care but they are also after school hours care so it’s quite a flexible arrangement for people in the northern suburbs. I can also advise the House that the lotteries fund has provided some money for playground equipment in the form of a $5000 grant and I’m hopeful that I can get out there in the next week or so and present that cheque to the hard working staff in the child care centre at Royal Darwin.
I believe it’s yet to be named and it’s yet to be opened but I’ll encourage members to go and inspect this facility, particularly those northern suburbs members. I think it’s a great initiative and it builds on the work that we’ve done out of that 5 year child care strategic plan. It’s a good example of good government at work.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016