A new childcare centre for Deniliquin

Deniliquin is getting a brand new childcare centre, and I could not be happier to share it.

The Perrin Park Early Learning Centre is now fully funded and going ahead, with 110 places for local kids. This has been more than a year in the making, and it is a huge win for our families.

I have been fighting for this since I first sat down with Felicity Michael and her team at River Region Early Education back at the start of last year, because so many young families in Deni simply cannot get a childcare place, and that holds the whole town back. Right now there are more than 300 children on waiting lists across the district, which is hundreds of families being told there is no room for their kids.

Getting here took real work. The $2 million I secured from Origin Energy lifted this project to the point where it could win the $4 million announced today, and together that is the full $6 million we needed to build it.

This centre will keep young families in Deniliquin, help parents get back to work, and give our littlest locals the best possible start. I cannot wait to see it built and full of happy kids.

To Felicity and her team at River Region Early Education, to Origin Energy, and to everyone who got behind this, thank you. Deni has well and truly earned this one.