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YOUR WEEKLY INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER
EDITION #531 THURSDAY, 16 APRIL 2026
SEE PAGE 16
News
Kalani just misses out
P6 Whales are making an appearance
Out&About
P4
Central Coast singer Kalani Artis has ended his Australian Idol 2026 campaign in the top three, with Kesha Oayde announced the winner on Channel 7 and Seven Plus on Tuesday, April 14. Kalani Artis performing on the Australian Idol stage
P13
Childcare woes hit everyone
An artist’s impression of the proposed centre at Gwandalan Photo: Liskowski Architects
The Central Coast has about 300 childcare centres, eight of them run by Central Coast Council. But it’s not enough. Anecdotally hundreds of families are waiting for childcare spaces across the Coast but figures are hard to nail down as desperate families put their names down at multiple centres. “All services currently maintain an active waiting list due to ongoing demand for early childhood education and care,” Council said about its centres. Council’s centres cater for almost 500 children from 419 families. But that makes up about 2% of the Coast’s childcare options. A year ago, the councillors asked staff for ways to fast track childcare development applications.
At the time, 14 childcare applications were with Council, and some applications were taking 500 days to be processed. In the four years to March 2026, council approved 20 early childcare centres and 34 applications to upgrade or expand existing centres. There are currently 22 childcare‑related development applications under assessment, including proposals for new centres, upgrades and centres within larger developments. “However, once a development application is approved, Council has no power to require an applicant to commence or complete construction,” Council said.
Free open day at Roundabout Circus
Sport
P30 Olyslagers claims seventh national title PUZZLES PAGE 18
Continued page 4
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