Hope Vale kindy upgrade welcome news for busy families

Published Wednesday, 13 March, 2019 at 03:00 PM

JOINT STATEMENT

Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Cameron Dick

Minister for Housing and Public Works, Minister for Digital Technology and Minister for Sport
The Honourable Mick de Brenni

Hope Vale families will soon have access to outside-school hours and vacation care, with a local kindergarten being upgraded through Round 4 of the Palaszczuk Government’s successful $295 million Building our Regions (BoR) program.

Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said this latest round of BoR will see the state partner with 37 councils on 49 projects.

“This work will deliver vital infrastructure to our communities and will stimulate regional economic growth, while supporting an estimated 657 jobs,” Mr Dick said.

“The $612,825 George Bowen Memorial Kindergarten Upgrade project is receiving $557,825 through BoR, with Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council contributing $55,000.”

Hope Vale Ministerial Champion Mick de Brenni said the project will fill a void left in the community since the Morrison government cut $1.6 billion of funding to remote Queensland communities. 

“This investment means jobs in construction, which is critical given the Morrison LNP Government’s withdrawal of funding for housing construction in remote communities,” Mr de Brenni said.

“While the Palaszczuk Government invests in a bigger kindergarten building to cater for larger groups, shade structures, a soft fall playground and sand pit, and better front fencing, you’ve got the Morrison-led LNP turning its back on the housing contribution to children’s health outcomes.

“Labor understands that kindy is good for kids, so this investment is about giving every kid the best start in life.

“Right now, many parents have to make the choice between working or caring for their kids – which isn’t a compromise they should have to make.

“Longer opening hours at George Bowen Memorial Kindergarten means we can take the pressure off parents and carers in the community, by making it easier to juggle work and family. 

“The right thing to do as a government that cares about kids in every community and recognises the special challenges in remote areas is to focus our energy on giving them every opportunity to succeed, and that’s what we are doing.”

Mr de Brenni said the Palaszczuk Government was continuing to do its part on tackling overcrowding in remote housing by maintaining its $1.08 billion commitment.

Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor June Pearson said the kindy expansion would meet a need for families and provide real future employment prospects.

“In addition to jobs provided by the upgrade work, there is scope for four extra employment opportunities at the centre, post construction, plus four traineeships longer term,” Ms Pearson said.

Under previous rounds, the program has allocated $225 million to 174 critical infrastructure projects across the state, generating 1762 jobs and attracting additional investment of $353.5 million from councils and other organisations.

Learn more about the Building our Regions program.

ENDS

Media contact: Ben Doyle 0400 775 561