Page 828 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 18 March 2015
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the commencement of the new public sector scheme will also be unaffected and will continue to have their claims determined, compensated and managed under the Comcare scheme.
Childcare—centres
MR DOSZPOT: My question is to the Minister for Economic Development. Minister, yesterday, 17 March, in question time, in response to questions about the decision to resume land currently occupied by the Manuka occasional childcare centre, you indicated that Mocca would be offered first refusal on the Montgomery Oval land which currently houses Telopea Park School tennis courts. You indicated the government would be providing funds to rebuild those courts. You also indicated that Mocca does not have the funds to rebuild and that the government would not be funding the new centre. Given that, what assurances can you provide to families who use this service that they will not be disadvantaged and without a facility in the immediate area for any period of time?
MR BARR: I thank Mr Doszpot for the question. Obviously the sequence of development requires the replacement facilities to be built before the Services Club is rebuilt on the Mocca site. So not only would new sporting facilities need to be constructed for the Telopea school but the new childcare centre would need to be constructed. So that there will be a seamless move from the old centre to the new centre, the new centre will be built before there is any movement away from the old centre.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.
MR DOSZPOT: Minister, why can you be so certain that a new childcare facility for 100 places will be built?
MR BARR: Why am I so certain? Because the government will release land for that specific purpose. There is significant interest in the market. I have already had approaches from other childcare centre operators wanting to access sites in the area. They have indicated that if Mocca does not wish to take up that first option then they will be in to take up the option, should Mocca pass up that opportunity.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Lawder.
MS LAWDER: Minister, when will construction of the new childcare facility begin, and when is it expected to be fully operational?
MR BARR: That is, of course, subject to development approval processes. But, as I indicated in my response to Mr Doszpot’s first question, clearly, new facilities need to be constructed for the Telopea school before that site becomes available. The childcare centre site construction would then commence. So there is a sequence here that needs to be achieved in order to have continuity of service provision in terms of the sporting amenity for the Telopea school, childcare provision for residents in the inner south and, ultimately, a new Services Club.
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