Ms Cleeland was joined on a tour of the region’s childcare facilities, schools, and kindergartens by Shadow Early Childhood and Education Minister Jess Wilson, including a stop at Goodstart Early Learning in Seymour on Thursday morning.
It is the only long-standing daycare service in Seymour.
“Regional Victoria is in desperate need of more childcare,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Sadly, so many communities across our state, including many in my electorate of Euroa, are set to remain without childcare despite desperately needing them.
“The headline-grabbing announcement of a childcare centre in Seymour will, in reality, not be delivered until 2028 at the earliest, preventing private businesses and not-for-profits from filling the childcare void in town.
“Local providers like Goodstart in Seymour do a fantastic job, however there is simply not enough spaces available for all children in town.”
Ms Wilson said regional Victoria was suffering from a childcare crisis.
“We’ve got childcare deserts right across the regions, with towns like Seymour only having one childcare centre for a population of over 7000 people,” Ms Wilson said.
“This means that families are not able to go back to work, and they’re not able to find care for their children.
“The government needs to step up and move faster with its childcare reforms. Waiting until 2028 for Seymour to get a government-funded childcare centre is simply unacceptable.”
A Victorian Government Spokesperson said they are doing their bit to help improve access right across rural and regional Victoria as Childcare is a Commonwealth responsibility.
“We're getting on building 50 government-owned and operated early learning and childcare centres across the state, including one in Seymour, while the Liberal-National Coalition are trying to block progress.”
“We will continue to advocate to the Australian Government for increased childcare availability and funding solutions to ensure that Victorians across the state have access to childcare.”
Ms Cleeland said the lack of childcare options in towns like Seymour significantly impacted young families in the region.
“Not having enough childcare facilities has a massive impact on the town’s future, with families choosing to relocate most of their lives to bigger centres like Shepparton,” Ms Cleeland said.
“We already have extreme cost-of-living pressures, as well as a labour crisis, making more accessible childcare so important to ensure parents can return to work and alleviate these issues.
“As things stand, mothers are having to sign up for childcare as soon as they find out they are pregnant due to two-year waitlists for a spot at a facility.”
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