The Newcastle Greens
Media Release
26 February 2007



Greens call for two years of free pre-school

Greens candidate for Swansea, Sue Wynn, has joined the cry of community pre-schools across the region for the government to increase funding and make pre-schooling more affordable.

‘As a mother, former teacher, educator and Greens candidate I condemn the continued lack of funding for pre-schools by the Labor government in NSW’, said Ms Wynn.

The Greens policy calls for two years free public pre-schooling for all children.

Pre-schooling is recognised as an essential foundation to later success in school and should be treated as such.

It is an appalling state of affairs when the most populous state in Australia has the highest costs and the lowest participation rates of children in pre-school.

After talking to local pre-school teachers, Ms Wynn was dismayed to discover statistics showing that NSW pre-schoolers are being let down.

‘Currently the average fee for NSW pre-schools is around $30/day, when the average cost in other states is around $5/day’, said Ms Wynn.

At one of the 100 Department of Education pre-schools, parents queued from 4.30am to secure a place, they could afford, for their child.

As a result only 59% of eligible pre-school children attend pre-school in NSW compared to over 90% attendance in other states.

This is because the 800 NSW community pre-schools are chronically under-funded and based on the absurd model of the user pay system, allowing the most disadvantaged and vulnerable to fall through the cracks.

The Greens policy supports free pre-school for all children for two years before they enter primary school to help ensure they are as best prepared to succeed in the education system.

Photo Opportunities with Sue Wynn and a local pre-school teacher are available upon request.

For further information, contact Sue Wynn on:
Phone 4359 1481
Mobile 0431 637 643