House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1) 52 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Childcare Centres CHILDCARE CENTRES Mr PISONI House of Assembly Unley CHILDCARE CENTRES Mr PISONI (Unley) (15:48): My question is for the Minister for Early Childhood Development. Will the government be keeping its 2010 election promise to build another 10 childcare centres at a cost of $14 million and its previously undelivered 2007 commitment of 20 childcare centres by the end of next month now that the Rudd government has cancelled building 222 childcare centres nationwide due to a lack of demand? The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly Cheltenham Minister for Education Minister for Early Childhood Development CHILDCARE CENTRES The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Minister for Education, Minister for Early Childhood Development) (14:48): It is disturbing that the shadow minister has paid so little attention to the commitments we have given that he confuses our commitment around children's centres with a commitment to building a childcare centre. They are, of course, a much bigger concept than the childcare centre. Indeed, they involve the bringing together of kindergartens, the bringing together of parenting services, the bringing together of allied health services, and also, of course, the childcare centre. They are internationally renowned and at the cutting edge of early childhood policy, and we are very proud of them. Indeed, other states travel to South Australia to look at these centres and take away their advice. I am advised that the earlier 20 centres are on track to be completed either by 30 June, as was expected in the budget papers, or shortly thereafter, except for one that is wrapped up in an Education Works project in the Gawler region. The school community has asked that that project, instead of it being on the existing site, go into the new build; so, it will be deferred to catch up to that. So, those 20 will be delivered, I am advised, and of course we stand by our election commitment to deliver the remaining 10, subject, of course, to budget deliberations; but I fully expect that we will deliver them.