The Nationals’ Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad has called on the state government to urgently address the worsening childcare crisis across the region, after it was revealed that only four of the 50 early childhood centres promised by Labor in 2023 have been built.
Speaking in Parliament, Ms Broad said the severe shortage of childcare services in Northern Victoria meant many areas had become “childcare deserts” — communities with little to no access to early learning and care.
“In 2023, the Victorian Government proudly promised 50 new early childhood centres by 2028,” Ms Broad said. “But by May last year, that timeline had quietly slipped to beyond 2032 — and in two years, only four centres had actually been delivered.”
The delays and lack of clear timelines had left communities frustrated, particularly in towns such as Alexandra, Bendigo South, Lockington, Seymour, and Woori Yallock, where no timelines or sites for construction have been announced.
Ms Broad said the childcare shortage had placed enormous pressure on families throughout the region, preventing parents from returning to work, forcing some to drive long distances, and leaving many on waiting lists for years.
She acknowledged the strong advocacy of her Nationals colleague Annabelle Cleeland, Member for Euroa, and the Federal Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster, who had both consistently highlighted the dire need for childcare in regional communities.
Ms Broad also noted that regional areas faced unique barriers, including staffing ratios that mirrored those in metropolitan centres — despite smaller population bases and longer travel times between towns. Local councils have raised concerns that these requirements made it harder to attract and retain childcare providers.
Dr Webster had proposed several innovative solutions to the crisis, including allowing family day care educators to use community spaces like town halls or libraries, creating mobile childcare services, and encouraging employer-supported childcare models in workplaces.
Ms Broad urged the Minister for Children to recommit to delivering the 50 centres by 2028 and to explore flexible, community-based solutions that suited rural and regional settings.
“Every child deserves access to quality early learning, and every family should have the choice to live and work in regional Victoria without having to relocate just to access childcare,” she said.
“Labor can’t manage basic childcare services, and regional Victorians are paying the price.”
Media Contact: Linda Barrow 0484 303 764 linda.barrow@parliament.vic.gov.au
