June 10th, 2023More smalls to get better start in life: MP

More children will have improved access to two years of quality kinder because of the state government’s Best Start, Best Life reforms, Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas says.
The local MP says the Victorian Budget 2023/24 is delivering $1.8 billion for early childhood education, ensuring more children get the best start in life while giving more parents – particularly working mums – the choice “to do what’s best for their families”.

In a recent media release Ms Thomas said:

The investment will lock in Free Kinder, continue the roll-out of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and start
the transition of Four-Year-Old Kindergarten to Pre-Prep from 2025. It will also support Aboriginal
community organisations and Traditional Owners to improve cultural safety and inclusion in early
childhood services.
This historic expansion of early education means a need for more educational toys and equipment so
Victoria’s littlest minds grow and learn. Supporting this need, $14.7 million will deliver a one-off
$5,000 grant to every kinder in Victoria, helping them purchase new equipment for play-based
learning.
This funding means each kinder will see new, inclusive and age-appropriate materials including
construction blocks, musical instruments, puzzles, chalk, gardening tools and sensory toys –
encouraging children of all abilities to use their imagination and creativity, while learning through play.
With wear and tear inevitable, services will be encouraged to purchase toys made of natural and
sustainable materials – extending their durability and keeping them out of landfill.
Up to 140,000 children and families are already benefitting from the first year of Free Kinder, which
gives children 5 to 15 hours of funded kindergarten each week – while putting money back into the
pockets of hard-working families by saving them up to $2,500 in fees per child.
Pre-Prep will start in 2025 in the local government areas of Ararat, Gannawarra, Hindmarsh,
Murrindindi, Northern Grampians and Yarriambiack – with other LGAs progressively joining the rollout in following years.
Funding in this year’s Budget will support the continued transformation of early childhood education
in Victoria and includes $1.2 billion for infrastructure projects critical to the delivery of 15 hours of
Three-Year-Old Kindergarten each week by 2029, and 30 hours of Pre-Prep each week by 2032.
Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas: “I’d like to thank our local early learning educators across Macedon for their amazing work. $5000 for additional educational toys and equipment will help give our local kinder kids the best start to life, close to home.”