NSW community preschools are under threat.
Across NSW, community preschools are facing an uncertain future and we need your help to ensure the NSW Government understands what is at stake. The NSW government must provide the funding needed to secure the future of the 700 community preschools serving families and communities across the state.
Without urgent action, services may be forced to make impossible choices between maintaining fair pay for staff, delivering high-quality education, ensuring safe learning environments, and simply keeping their doors open.
That is not a choice any preschool should have to make.
The IEU shares your frustration and disappointment at the NSW government’s failure to commit the funding necessary to secure the future of community preschools, despite the recommendation by the Fair Work Commission that the government take all possible steps to ensure adequate funding is available.
With the NSW state election approaching, we have an important opportunity to make sure local MPs understand just how much their communities need and value community preschools.
We must send a clear message that families, staff and management committees expect the NSW Government to provide the funding necessary secure their future.
JOIN A RALLY TO SAVE COMMUNITY PRESCHOOLS
Join preschool staff, families, management committees and supporters at one of three local rallies and help put community preschool funding on the election agenda.
Hunter Valley Rally: Thursday 29 October, 9am to 9:30am
📍 Office of Clayton Barr MP, 118 Vincent Street, Cessnock
Northern Rivers Rally: Thursday 29 October, 9am – 9:30am
📍 Office of Janelle Saffin MP 55 Carrington Street, Lismore
Western Sydney Rally: Friday 30 October 9am-9:30am
📍 Office of Prue Car MP, Deputy Premier, Londonderry Electorate Office, 154 Queen Street, St Marys
HOW TO SUPPORT THE RALLY
We are asking services to support the rally in one of three ways:
- Local services – close your preschool and bring your community
For services located close to the electorate office, particularly those within the electorate, we are asking you to close your preschool for duration of the rally and encourage all staff, families and management committee members to attend.
- Other nearby services – send representatives
We recognise that some services will not be able to close completely and ask all families to travel. In these circumstances, we request that you arrange for representatives of staff, management committees and families to attend.
- Distant services
If you are unable to access a rally but would like assistance lobbying your MP, please contact the IEU.
Every service represented will strengthen our message that this is not an isolated problem, but one affecting community preschools across NSW.
The future of community preschools must be an election issue.
Our communities value the high quality and safe education and care that community preschools provide. They value the dedicated teachers and educators who make that possible. They do not want to see their local preschools close because the NSW Government has failed to provide adequate funding to ensure the viability of community preschools.
We urge every community preschool to be represented at this rally.
