MINISTER FOR EDUCATION MUST ACT TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES

Today’s meeting of the After School Care Alliance has again highlighted the urgent need for the Minister for Education to intervene to address the increasing crisis in Out of School Hours care (OOSH).

Greens MP Jamie Parker has questioned why the Minister refuses to recognise the critical role of before and after school care services when the state government licenses and regulates OOSH providers and is responsible for student welfare.

There are long waiting lists throughout Sydney, particularly in the Inner West which will be compounded in the future as the population school-aged children increases. The huge demand we are seeing for childcare today will be tomorrow’s OOSH crisis.

The electorate of Balmain has the highest percentage of working women in NSW. The government needs to keep up with the times and can no longer assume a parent will be at home to care for children.

The government cannot simply claim they have no role to play in the provision of before and after school care.

Mr Parker said:

“I strongly support moves to ensure that planning for new schools includes provision for OOSH. This is especially pertinent for the new Ultimo Public School as planning is currently underway.

“In existing schools, government must ensure before and after school care is designated as a priority service so OOSH providers can access buildings for the students’ care.

“I will continue to campaign to see these changes in our school communities and ensure that the government governs for the 21^st century,” Mr Parker said.

April 08, 2014 at 12pm

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FERRIES AT ANNANDALE AND WEST BALMAIN

Imagine hopping on a ferry at Annandale or West Balmain and being in the heart of the city within minutes.

In 2020, we won the campaign for a Glebe ferry. Now, we have the opportunity to connect more of our area to the ferry network. New ferries at Annandale and West Balmain will provide a faster, smarter route into the city without adding to the traffic on our roads.

Both Labor and the Liberals want to build more polluting and destructive tollways across Sydney. But we have costed a comprehensive plan for a world-class public transport system that makes getting around our city fast and easy.

Dear Transport Minister,

New inner west ferry services would provide efficient, fast and environmentally sound travel to and from the area for workers, tourists, students, pensioners and the general public.

I therefore ask that the Government build on the success of the Blackwattle Bay ferry and establish a ferry service at Rozelle Bay for the Annandale area and reinstate the ferry at West Balmain.

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