Address to the House of Representatives, Statements by Members

Thursday 28 November 2024

Hundreds of families in my electorate of Bean and families right through the ACT rely on early education operators to provide professionally-run centres. Early education is absolutely essential to the first steps for children. It is also a building block for many, especially women, to participate fully in the workforce.

That's why I find the representations I've received from local families about poor experiences with the new operator in the Bean electorate so alarming. Families have reported that in times gone by their local centre in Gowrie met their needs and upheld high standards of care. However, earlier this year a new operator, Genius, took over and serious problems have followed. This includes reports of staff not being paid on time, a number of staff leaving, the standard of gardening, cleaning and building maintenance declining and poor communication with families. This has resulted in many families feeling the need to leave the Gowrie centre. These reports are of concern not only to the families whose children still attend the centre but for all others who are connected to the centres run by the same operator throughout the ACT. I'm pleased to join with other ACT representatives and lend my voice to the call for the operator to get its act together.

I also believe and will continue to advocate that all bodies with regulatory responsibilities in this space must take all appropriate steps to ensure the rights of staff, children and families are upheld.