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WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2024
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HOPE Community Day
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â Cr Louise Bannister, Mayor
â The inaugural HOPE Community Day and Volunteer Expo was held last Saturday (May 25) in Seymour. Hosted by the Seymour Community Recovery Committee, the Expo aimed to showcase the wide array of volunteer organisations in Seymour, offering a platform for residents to explore and connect with meaningful opportunities. Community Recovery Committee Chair Neil Beer said the expo was a fantastic chance for Seymour residents to see firsthand how volunteering makes a significant difference in the community. Mitchell Shire Mayor Cr Louise Bannister said the HOPE Day was wonderful chance to celebrate and engage with the local volunteer organisations that shape Seymour.
CHILDCARE CENTRE LIKELY TO BE AXED
â Annabelle Cleeland, local MLA, has told State Parliament that the Allan Labor Governmentâs promise for more childcare in Seymour is likely to be axed. âI want to draw your attention to one of the Allan Labor Governmentâs major election commitments, which was a new childcare centre for Seymour,â Ms Cleeland told the Legislative Assembly. âIn a community that has been regarded as a childcare desert for nearly 30 years, this was a really, crucially important investment. âIn this budget it looks like it is set to be axed, with funding for Laborâs new kindergarten and childcare rollout now taking a back seat due to a lack of forward thinking from this government. âSeymour childcare centre was one of 50 initially planned for the state, but it would seem to be another broken promise. âIt was bad enough when Labor said it would take until 2028 for the new centre to open, deterring two not-for-profits and private investors from operating a centre in town. âSo many communities across our state, including several within the Euroa electorate, are set to remain without child care despite desperately needing it. âI recently held an online forum to discuss the accessibility and availability of both child care and kindergarten in the region with parents, educators, and childcare providers, support staff and administrators. âThose at the forum expressed concern over multiyear waitlists â a two-year waitlist in Seymour â a lack of staff, families needing to travel long distances and parents being unable to get back to work. âInstead of making it easier, Laborâs attempted rollout of new childcare centres across the state has been a disaster. âChild care for my region is only going backwards, and this government is single-handedly compounding the crisis. âTime and time again they have shown they cannot manage money, they cannot manage a project and they cannot deliver accessible child care for our regional communities,â Ms Cleeland said.
â Annabelle Cleeland, Euroa MLA âIn addition to this, Labor has flagged cuts to homeless and community housing services. By the end of 2025 the total number of social homes available will decrease from a target of 91,248 to a new 2025 target of 91,148. That is disgraceful. âMeanwhile the housing waitlist continues to reach unimaginable levels, particularly for those trying to escape family violence. âData from last yearâs Department of Families, Fairness and Housing annual report shows the average wait time for public rental housing for people fleeing family violence was just under two years, up from 17 months the year before and 11 months the year prior.â