Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, , 7:15:10 to 7:22:36
Debate over the delivery of a $5 million election commitment for a childcare center in Mukinbudin.
Topics: Education, Infrastructure
Speakers: Senator Jess Walsh, Senator Fatima Payman, Mr. Nathan Smyth, Mr. Tony Cook, Unknown Speaker
>> Thank you chair. Good afternoon. Um I understand that on 14th of October the department met with the sh of Makenben regarding the government's election commitment to spend $5 million on a new um early childhood education center. Uh the CEO of the shy of Muckenbuden told ABC radio Midwest and wheat belt that and I quote based on the discussions that I had with the department of education staff on Wednesday it sounds like it's not going to go ahead. Why has the government broken its election
>> Senator, um I'll ask Mr. Smi to make some comments around that. He was part of the meeting. My understanding is discussions are continuing in relation to that particular site, but there's
been no no decision about that. We are still in ongoing negotiations and discussions uh with the West Australian government as well as the uh the Shia Council Center.
>> So is the Shia lying to us saying? No,
Senator. Senator, um I I'm I'm not aware exact of exactly what was said there. Uh we had some confidential and without prejudice discussions with the Shia Council on the date that you've said. Um but as I said, no, it's not my decision. The decision is one for the government. Obviously, it was an election commitment, but uh the uh the discussions and the negotiations are ongoing with the Western Australian government and the Shia.
>> So, I'll just sort of give you a timeline. Um the shy office told my office earlier this month that first the department verbally told me that they would not be honoring the commitment. Then channel 7 called me yesterday afternoon and said the department had told them no decision had been made. Then they reported that the government will honor the election commitment. So who knows at this point. Uh do the government and the department believe this is an acceptable standard of communication?
Well, Senator, I'm not privy to what uh the SH of MKBen says to the media or to anyone. Uh I've had discussions with them as have my staff. Uh those discussions uh continue. We um we have not made uh any any any change to the fact that we are uh looking to honor the election commitment to the SH of Makin.
So, I understand that the CEO was told the project would not be going ahead due to a lack of demonstrated demand. If there was a lack of demonstrated demand, why did the government make this
>> Uh, thank you, Senator. So, the government uh made um election commitments um in the first half of last year. Um this is one of those um one of those commitments uh and we are uh continuing as Mr. Smyth has outlined to work uh on delivering that uh that commitment.
>> So you so you can confirm on the record that you will be delivering this commitment to the shy of Makouden. We
are working closely with the WA government uh and uh I am of the understanding that discussions continue um with them and uh with the council um to deliver on the commitment.
>> It's not a yes though, Minister. It's still on the some of the some of the
information that you've given us here, Senator, is difficult for us to square away with the work that I'm advised the department is doing and believe that the department is is doing um because the department is uh working to deliver um the beef um and to deliver the election commitments that were that have been made uh and you know I confirm that the department is working on uh all aspects of the beef and delivering all aspects of the beef. Uh so we are continuing to work with WA government uh and the council to deliver on the commitment. We intend to deliver
the commitment. It's just that vague wording actually just allows you the room to break the promise, the election promise. And that's why I would like a definite advance of is this going ahead? Is that a yes? So that the shy of Mak and Buddhen actually know who are probably watching this right now. Um that know that that election promise is going to be honored um and that the government's not going to, you know, break that promise because the candidate uh Karen Wheatland who announced uh that a reelected Albanesei Labor government will invest up to $5 million towards building a new childcare center in Mucken Buddhen. Are we saying that she wasn't speaking on behalf of the government? If if you're not going to give me a definitive yes,
>> we we we made the commitment. Um we are working to to deliver that commitment. We've made um election commitments um across um 17 uh locations uh and um 13 of them have been delivered. Um we are working through the final four um including um in Muck and Ben. The only sort of issue that I have with what you're asking me or what you're saying to me, Senator, is that it does take work to deliver the commitments. That
Um, the Marrickville Golf Course, which the prime minister is a member of, received $6 million from the government's taxpayer taxpayer funded slush fund. Does the Albanesei government only do port barreling in the eastern states? Because we're waiting in WA to have this amendment honored?
Um, I sort of reject all of the um premises of your question there, Senator, but um I can um talk about the um uh services that we've committed to um build in Western Australia. Um we have signed a federation funding agreement with the WA government. Uh and we have announced that we are working with them to build um an early learning service at Maracore Primary School um at Green Mount Primary School. Um we have um a third um commitment uh there that we'll be announcing soon. Um and we have also worked with um the WA government to announce a service at um Derby uh in WA as well. Uh and we can
>> move on to my other questions. Minister, we can another time to talk about the muck and the government doing. Um but can you just sorry uh just clarify the primary school that you referred to?
>> Maracle Primary, Green Mount Primary.
>> Green Mount Prim. Okay. Um the department uh can you please provide any record uh of a meeting with Makam Shia on 14th of October 2026?
>> I'll have to take that on notice, sir.