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03 Jul 2009 - Over $9 Million for Five Early Learning and Care Centres in Queensland

The Minister for Early Childhood Education, Child Care and Youth, Kate Ellis, and the Queensland Minister for Education and Training, Geoff Wilson, today announced five new early learning and care centres in Queensland.

The early learning and care centres will be established in Amberley, Cairns, Gladstone, Townsville and Weipa.

The Australian Government has provided over $9 million to establish the five centres which are due to be operational from 2010.

Of this funding, approximately $1.6 million has been provided to co-locate an early learning and care centre with the relocated Amberley Primary School at Yamanto.

Ms Ellis also announced today funding of approximately $2.1 million to refurbish and expand an existing facility operated by Rio Tinto Ltd in Weipa, Queensland.

The funding will be provided to the Creche and Kindergarten Association, which will operate the facility using land provided by Rio Tinto Ltd.

"I am absolutely delighted that this funding will make 75 additional places available at the Weipa Early Learning and Care Centre," Ms Ellis said.

"It will give the families of Weipa improved access to a broader range of integrated services."

The Australian Government will allocate approximately $1.8 million to establish each of the remaining three sites at Cairns, Gladstone and Townsville.

Negotiations are also being held with the Queensland Catholic Education Commission to establish an integrated early learning and care centre and kindergarten at St Andrew's College, Redlynch in Cairns. The kindergarten forms part of the Queensland Government's A Flying Start for Queensland Children election commitment to establish a kindergarten at St Andrew's College.

A joint request for proposal (RFP) between the Australian and Queensland Governments will be advertised on 4 July 2009 calling for proposals to establish the Gladstone and Townsville centres.

"This is an exciting opportunity for businesses, to build world class early learning and care facilities for the communities of Townsville and Gladstone," Ms Ellis said.

"The Australian Government is committed to high-quality early learning and care for all Australian children and families.

"Across Australia there are communities with an ongoing need for high-quality, affordable early childhood education and care and we are acting to meet that need," she added.

Queensland's Education Minister, Geoff Wilson, said the centres will benefit their communities.

"They will offer services that support children from the early years, so that they can start school as happy, confident learners," he said.

"Not only does it bring benefits to the local community in providing high-quality and affordable childcare for working families, it will also provide employment opportunities for local communities."

This initiative is part of the Australian Government's Education Revolution that will ensure Australia's early childhood care and education system is well placed to improve outcomes for children and their families. The initiatives include:

• $1.6 billion over four years to help working families meet higher costs of living by increasing the Child Care Rebate (CCR) from 30 per cent to 50 per cent of out of pocket costs to a maximum of $7500

• $970 million over five years to provide all Australian children access to 15 hours a week of early learning programs for 40 weeks a year in the year before formal schooling

• $126.6 million over four years in fee relief for at least 8000 TAFE students per year; additional university places for early childhood teachers; and significant reductions in the HECS-HELP debt of early childhood teachers working in regional and remote areas, Indigenous communities and areas of high disadvantage.

For more information about early childhood education and child care, please visit www.mychild.gov.au.

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