I am calling on the Federal Government to immediately reverse its appalling decision to cut funding for Cabonne Council’s Out of School Hours Child Care services.
This decision from the Federal Government to reject Cabonne Council’s funding application under the Community Child Care Fund leaves a massive $1.27 million shortfall over three years right across our region, threatening vital before and after school services in Molong, Cudal, Nashdale, Clergate, Mullion Creek and Blayney.
I have contacted the Minister for Early Childhood Education Jess Walsh, Education Minister Jason Clare and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, demanding that they step in, and restore this funding immediately.
To Ministers and the Canberra bureaucrats, stripping away this funding might look like just another line item on a spreadsheet, but this just shows how totally out of touch they are with what people in regional and rural areas are experiencing.
Out of School Hours Care isn’t a luxury, it’s an absolute necessity. It enables many local mums, dads and carers to work, run local businesses and cope with the soaring cost of living.
The reality of living in regional Australia is that if local councils don’t provide these services, nobody else would. That is exactly why government support exists, to fill the gap and ensure our communities aren’t left behind.
Essential childcare services shouldn’t be a competitive funding lottery where country families and country kids are drawn last.
While Cabonne Council hasn’t contacted me about this issue yet, I’ve nevertheless taken this fight straight to the top, and I’ll keep standing up for our local families until this vital funding is restored.
Andrew Gee MP
Independent Federal Member for Calare