Thursday, 5 June, 2025
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Building connections
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Residents take to parliament
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Celebrating volunteers Any great local service can’t do without volunteers and Outlook Australia celebrated their critical work this week. Holding a morning tea on Wednesday 4 June at their community centre, Pakenham’s Outlook gave a special service to their many volunteers to thank them for their tireless work. Continued page 2
Volunteers and Outlook staff at Wednesday’s morning tea.
Kinder shortfall By Corey Everitt One of the state government’s landmark reforms, the rollout of free kinder, continues to be welcomed by councils across the state, but one question remains unanswered of who will pay for the infrastructure needed to facilitate the transformation.
In May, all cities and shires gathered at the State Council of the Municipal Association of Victoria, where they agreed on many key resolutions including the call for more investment in infrastructure for early learning. The matter is in response to the state government’s Best Start Best Life reforms which are implementing free kinder for 3 and 4-year-olds
across Victoria. The resolution, moved by Kingston, Bayside and Casey cities, called for the state government to consult with councils about the decade-long rollout and provide “adequate funding” for councils to deliver the plan. Cardinia Shire backed the resolution and has expressed similar calls in the past. As an outer
Melbourne council, the shire is called home by many young families. One-third of Melbourne’s young children live in the outer suburbs. By 2036, 40 percent of 0 to 4-year-olds are expected to grow up in growth areas. Continued page 2 ADVERTISEMENT
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