Tamara Smith MP, Member for Ballina and NSW Greens Early Learning Spokesperson, has welcomed an announcement from the NSW government to build a new public preschool adjacent to Wollongbar public school.
Wollongbar is an area of rapidly increasing residential growth, particularly among young families.
Ms Smith said, ‘I’m so glad we have been able to deliver another public preschool for Wollongbar, just months after the new preschool for Lennox Head was announced.
‘The construction of 100 new public preschools within three years is a key plank of the Greens’ platform, and I’m incredibly pleased to see Labor is willing to work with us on this.
‘This is proof that our community is in a powerful position with a minority Labor government and the Greens and independents in balance of power. We can actually address
issues like early childhood if we work together,’ she said.
‘Public preschools are affordable preschools. I hope this announcement will give local families some relief in the middle of a brutal cost-of-living crisis.’
Pay rise needed for early childhood workers
The Greens are also calling on state and federal governments to negotiate a pay rise for early childhood workers, and to end unpaid placements for students studying early childhood education.
Tamara Smith says rising demand for early childhood education means we a greater supply of early childhood educators is needed, and the only way to get more early childhood
workers is to address pay and conditions.
‘We also need to stop expecting early childhood workers to give up hundreds of hours for free when completing mandatory unpaid student placements,’ she said. ‘That is a massive barrier to entering the workforce and I hope the government will take action to address it.
‘Labor has listened to the Greens on the need for 100 new public schools. I hope they’ll listen to us on the needs of early childhood educators as well,’ said the Member for Ballina.
There is already a highly regarded community preschool located adjacent to Wollongbar Public School. There has been absolutely no consultation with the existing preschool regarding this announcement.
Under the current Government funding, two days of preschool is available free of charge to all eligible children in community preschool.
“ Ms Smith said, ‘I’m so glad we have been able to deliver another public preschool for Wollongbar, just months after the new preschool for Lennox Head was announced.’”
Who is thE “we” here? This wouldn’t be an instance of trying to take credit for something the government has done would it? The government they are ever ready to deride for decisions they don’t want to take credit for.
Got to hand it to the Greens. Got to hand it to the Echo.
You beat me to it!
The invisible member for Ballina appears to be a member of the ALP State Government!
Who woulda thunk!
Jimie, I can definitely assure you that Ms Smith is not a member of the ALP State Govt, all the Greens are the same they pretend that they’re more important than they really are.
Actually Tamara was lucky it is a labor government as under the previous mob she was consistently sidelined in any electorate announcements.
The Tamara, getting things done and without the need to waste $’staxpayer with a full page spreader in the Echo.
Onya Tamara, keep it going!
Joachim, you are a truly funny fellow, LOL.