16   EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING

The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the motion of Mr Tudge—That this House:

(1)    affirms its strong support for all forms of early childhood learning and recognises the importance of pre-school on the development of children and as a foundation for their future education;

(2)    notes that the Gillard Government has mandated that ‘four-year-old kindergartens’ provide at least 15 hours per week of instruction by a university-trained teacher by 2013 under its ‘Universal Access’ policy;

(3)    notes that the Gillard Government has not considered the consequences of its ‘Universal Access’ policy on Victorian kindergartens where ‘three-year-old kindergarten’ is more commonly offered than by other jurisdictions;

(4)    notes that the consequence of ‘Universal Access’ on Victoria’s kindergartens is that many will no longer be able to offer ‘three-year-old kindergarten’ programs because facilities are often shared between three and ‘four-year-old kindergarten’ programs;

(5)    acknowledges that this policy will effectively remove the choice for many Victorian parents of sending their three-year-old children to kindergarten;

(6)    notes that some rural kindergartens could face the risk of closure because there is a shortage of qualified teachers in rural areas, and due to the increase in mandated hours, many rural kindergartens will no longer be able to share teachers;

(7)    notes that warnings of this imminent crisis for Victoria’s kindergartens have been given directly to the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth by the Municipal Association of Victoria, parent groups, kindergarten operators and parliamentarians; and

(8)    calls on the Government to:

(a)    provide flexibility for kindergarten operators to deliver kindergarten services according to the needs of their own communities and in line with local infrastructure and staffing capacity; or

(b)   at the very least, provide flexibility on the start date for the implementation of ‘Universal Access’—

Debate resumed by Mr Bandt who moved as an amendment—That paragraphs 3 to 8 be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

(3)    calls on the Federal Government and the Victorian Government to work together to ensure that:

(a)    the principles of ‘Universal Access’ are fully implemented in Victoria; and

(b)   each kindergarten in Victoria is sufficiently funded to meet its ‘Universal Access’ obligations without compromising its ability to offer thee-year-old kindergarten.

Question—That the amendment be agreed to—put and negatived.

Question—That the motion be agreed to—put.

*161

The House divided (the Speaker, Mr Jenkins, in the Chair)—

AYES, 72

NOES, 68

* Tellers

Pairs

Mr Rudd                         Mrs Moylan

Mr S. F. Smith               Dr Washer

Mr K. J. Thomson          Mr Ciobo

Mr Gray                         Ms Gambaro

And so it was resolved in the affirmative.