Families from across the Goulburn Valley protested at Wendy Lovell’s office in Shepparton following the Victorian Government’s decision to axe funding for occasional care.
Occasional Care is a highly successful program and has been operating in parts of the state for 15 years. It provides flexible childcare for those aged 0-6 years.
Farming families cannot complete farm work with young children around and occasional care has provided an opportunity for kids to not only gain social skills, but remain safe.
The Victorian government continues to argue that it will only provide funding if the Commonwealth also does so. However, it has been over 12 months since the Commonwealth withdrew its support for the program and in the meantime the State Governments of Queensland, South Australian and Western Australian have agreed to fund the Commonwealth shortfall.
The Victorian Government has therefore indicated it has the money for the program, its time they stopped bickering with the Commonwealth and ensure rural families are not disadvantaged.
Those at the rally tomorrow will highlight that we are fed up with excuses and it’s high time we saw some solutions.
The above is based on a media alert issued for the rally held on the 22nd July, the speech below by Catherine Dooley is fantastic!
"Good Morning and welcome to this very auspicious occasion in the history of the Goulburn Valley: The grand Opening of the Wendy Lovell Occasional Care Centre.
Firstly I would like to acknowledge the traditional Owners of this Land, and it is with respect we gather.
On behalf of the board of directors I would like to welcome our distinguished guests, which of course are the children, our dear children who will be attending this state of the art facility. I would also like to put forward an apology on behalf of Minister Wendy ON LEAVE LOVELL, because I am sure she would have extended an apology if she was able to be contacted. It is believed that she is taking a break. Finally I would like to thank Big Ted for filling in at the last minute for Premier Ted; we appreciate your attendance and steadfast commitment to our children and their on-going education and development. It is this type of support that our children need - thankyou.
The Wendy Lovell Occasional Care Centre here in Shepparton is the only one of its kind. This centre which stands before you will service the needs of over 9,000 Victorian children. Unfortunately though there will be a slight adjustment to the fee structure due to lack of funding but the Wendy Lovell Centre hopes to keep these fees affordable. We can also assure you of expert care as those Victorians who have lost their jobs at the former occasional care centres (may, depending of course upon the fine print in their redundancy packages, be the very ones nurturing your young). We all know the calibre of these qualified and dedicated individuals, some of whom have devoted almost two decades of loving care to our children. Many of us here today know these people personally, they are our neighbours, our friends.
The Wendy Lovell Occasional Care Centre has spared nothing in bringing you the best and we did not even need to approach Premier Baillieu for further money. We did not have to plead our case against the tourist Pat a Horse program which takes a million from the budget, or the Zoo initiative and that 10 million, we also saw that to house ageing greyhounds was well worth another million, and finally how could we not let Melbourne twinkle with those expensive Christmas lights. If we are lucky, we may even see them from here, yes, we in the Goulburn Valley may see the effects of another couple of million dollars burning brightly at Christmas. Yet let me assure you, our Wendy did not have to beg, she did not plead and Premier Baillieu is very happy with her.
I have heard that the Mooroopna Occasional Care Centre needed just $9,000 per annum to stay viable, pity really, but that is not the Wendy Lovell Occasional Care Centre.
At the Wendy Lovell Occasional Care Centre, we know that you need to take a break. We realise that the biggest health risk to living in the Goulburn Valley is Mental Health, we know that it is vitally important to nurture our mothers so that our mothers can nurture our children and our community. At the Wendy Lovell centre we know the importance of family and how hard it is without family, without the extra support of an extended family to help you bring up the Australians of the future. We know that children are important, that is why we are gathered here today, to celebrate the care we lavish on our young. We know about the added stressors of this region, the ten year drought, the floods, but let us wash away your concerns because we know the need. We know that the mothers of this region, isolated by distance and circumstance, do not have access to other facilities like this. We know too, that nurses and teaches depend on Occasional care so that they can work in these areas of great need in our community. We know that women farmers use occasional care so that their children are not put at risk in dangerous farming situations.
At Wendy’s we know... we know your needs. The Wendy Lovell Occasional Care Centre is the answer to it all. There is no need to despair, you are in Wendy’s care. Just remember, Wendy Lovell loves you!
May I now call upon......to cut the ribbon and officially declare the Wendy Lovell Occasional Care Centre open, thankyou."
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