Politics & Council
27 February, 2026
The great child care cash 'con'
FEDERAL Government money promised to boost childcare in Loddon has been syphoned to pay for a centre already opened.
FEDERAL Government money promised to boost childcare in Loddon has been syphoned to pay for a centre already opened.
The 2025 $5 million election-eve commitment from Labor - May 2 at 4.58pm, the day before Australians went to the polls - has been used on the State Government’s 90-place early learning centre in Wedderburn.
A new agreement between Canberra and Spring Street announced on Thursday has the money propping up state Labor’s 2022 election promise and drawn immediate criticism in Loddon communities.
“They (governments) have not been open and respectful of our local communities. The election pledge now amounts to nothing more than a con job,” said the shire’s Boort Ward councillor David Weaver.
Inglewood and District Community Bank deputy chair Max Higgs said the handling of the childcare commitments by governments was “unsophisticated unconscionable deception”.
Boort and Inglewood communities had been pressing to share in what they thought was an extra $5 million for the shire.
Those hopes were dashed on Monday when Federal Early Childhood Education Minister Jess Walsh told the Loddon Herald: “As part of the agreement, the Commonwealth Government has delivered on its commitment to invest $5 million for childcare in Loddon.”
“The Albanese and Victorian Governments have reached a historic agreement for $170.1 million in joint funding to deliver more not-for-profit early learning services in Victoria’s outer suburbs and regions,” she said.
Under the $170 million agreement, the Commonwealth will invest $63 million and the Victorian Government $107 million.
Last December, Senator Walsh said: ““The Victorian and Federal departments are in discussions about the delivery of $5 million for an early learning centre in the Loddon Shire.”
“And the Government’s $1 billion Building Early Education Fund will continue delivering more centres where families need them most, including in regional areas.”
Senator Walsh’s statements came as contractors were putting finishing touches to the Wedderburn Early Learning Centre co-located at Wedderburn College that had partnered with families and the community in a five-year campaign to end the shire’s childcare desert status.
Cr Weaver on Monday said the lack of childcare in Boort and other Loddon communities remained the largest restrictor to growth. “It’s a shame the Federal Government doesn’t care. “They created false hopes in our communities with that election promise. The whole announcement has been shown to lack integrity. Not once did either government say the money had already been allocated to Wedderburn.
“And the State Government could have built two more childcare centres in our communities with just 0.53 per cent of the $15 billion it has been claimed was squandered in union payments on its Big Build sites in Melbourne.”
Loddon Shire has again listed childcare as a major need for advocacy in the lead-up to this November’s state election.
Cr Weaver has had regular meetings with families forced to travel hours for childcare or one parent unable to work.
And Inglewood and District Community Bank last year commissioned a study on the need for childcare in southern Loddon communities of Inglewood, Bridgewater, Serpentine, Tarnagulla and Newbridge.
“We will not go away until our young families have the same access to childcare as other parts of Australia,” Cr Weaver said on Monday.
The State Government has refused to reveal the cost of the Wedderburn centre. Requests for information have gone unanswered.
Wedderburn is one of 11 new early learning centres being opened by the State Government this year - the second tranche of the rollout - combining kindergarten and childcare sessions.
Federal Government sources said there were several other opportunities to support projects in the state, “including in Loddon if they are successful in competitive grant processes”.
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“Market soundings for a small-provider round have concluded. Insights from the market sounding will inform design of the small-provider round, which is expected to open shortly.”
Loddon Shire CEO Lincoln Fitzgerald said council had not been consulted on allocating the Federal Government’s $5 million to the State Government-built and operated Wedderburn centre. “We were only informed on Monday ... after last week’s announcement,” he said.
The State Government did confirm it had used the $5 million for the Wedderburn centre with “Victorian Government funding the remainder”.
A spokesperson said: “We’re saving families time and money, with 14 new government owned and operated centres opening across Victoria this year including Wedderburn.”
“The Albanese Labor Government’s $1 billion Building Early Education Fund is delivering a combined investment with the Victorian Government of $170 million across Victoria, including funding for the new ELV centre in Wedderburn.”
“The Allan Labor Government’s $14 billion Best Start, Best Life reforms are transforming early childhood education to help children thrive, save families money, and support parents and carers to return to work or study if they choose.”
Read More: Berrimal, Boort, Inglewood, Bridgewater, Serpentine, Tarnagulla, Newbridge