A Labor government would invest $1.6 million in a new $6 million early-years centre in Altona, it was announced last week.
Altona MP Jill Hennessy said the one- stop shop would include long day care, a kindergarten, maternal child health services, playgroups, and parenting, intervention and family support services.
“Labor will build this new centre to help ensure kids from the west get the best start to their education,” she said.
“Labor’s plan to make Victoria the education state begins here in Melbourne’s west, building new kinders, helping our kids and supporting young families.”
Ms Hennessy said the pledge was part of Labor’s commitment to invest $50 million to build and upgrade kinders across Victoria.
She said the Napthine government’s last budget made no allocation for kinder capital over the next four years.
Hobsons Bay mayor Colleen Gates said Labor’s investment was potentially great news for families and their young children in the broader Altona area.
“This $1.6 million commitment, if realised, would allow Hobsons Bay City Council to establish a new one-stop-shop approach for early-years learning and care,” she said.
“Council had indentified that an integrated centre of this kind will be needed in the broader Altona area and this potential funding boost would allow council to deliver it much sooner than otherwise would have been possible.”
Star Weekly attempted to contact Altona Liberal candidate Nihal Samara to ask if his party could match the pledge.
He did not respond to messages.
