The toddlers at the centre of the state contest for Prahran

A coalition of state and federal members from across all three major parties have joined the campaign to try to save a beloved kindergarten facing eviction in Melbourne’s inner east, but the Allan government has refused to commit to saving the centre.

The Windsor Community Children’s Centre, which is both a childcare centre and a kindergarten, has for years leased its premises from Swinburne University but is facing eviction after the university decided to try to rezone and sell the Crown land on which it had built the centre.

Emma Carter and Romi Goldshlager in the garden of Windsor Community Children’s Centre. Credit: Joe Armao

The fate of the centre has emerged as a key issue in the upcoming byelection for the state seat of Prahran, left vacant after former Greens MP Sam Hibbins’ abrupt resignation from parliament at the end of last year, as well as in the marginal federal seat of Macnamara.

With Labor opting not to field a candidate for the February 8 Prahran contest, it is shaping up as a battle between Greens candidate Angelica Di Camillo and the Liberal Party’s Rachel Westaway.

Both were in attendance at the centre on Wednesday, as were current Labor Macnamara MP Josh Burns and his Greens challenger Sonya Semmens. But notably absent was a representative of the Allan government, despite the Minister for Children, Lizzie Blandthorn, and Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny receiving personal invitations.

Speaking at a press conference across town, cabinet minister Melissa Horne refused to answer why the government had snubbed the event. “The minister for planning has had a report [handed down] and is making a determination [on the rezoning application],” she said.

The daycare, which looks after up to 80 families, has operated for 47 years. A group of volunteers has led a campaign to save the not-for-profit service after Swinburne filed a rezoning application in July. The group of political candidates all urged the university to abandon its bid to rezone the land, which would open up the sale of the public land to developers.

In July, Stonnington Council pledged to look at options to purchase the land to allow the centre to continue its operation. Stonnington Mayor Melina Sehr and its chief executive have written letters, seen by this masthead, to Kilkenny and Blandthorn urging for funding or partnership options for the site. They have not received a response.

A Stonnington spokesperson said: “An independent valuation of the site, commissioned by council, determined the value of the property at a range between $12.2 million and $13.8 million. Council is unable to consider the stand-alone acquisition of the site at that valuation, given its restricted financial capacity, however is prepared to consider a tripartite funding arrangement with state and federal governments.”

Macnamara MP Josh Burns laid the blame for the eviction squarely at the feet of the university. “Despite reasonable offers from the City of Stonnington [to purchase the land], Swinburne’s selfishness means they will send an outstanding early education centre out of existence,” Burns said.

The university released a scathing response to “correct the record” on Wednesday. “State government departments and the City of Stonnington were offered the opportunity to purchase the land, but all declined. As such, Swinburne is required to seek rezoning of the land ahead of a sale on the open market,” the statement said.

“There is nothing preventing the continuation of childcare at the site under a new landlord should they wish. The re-zoning that the university is seeking is required to enable the university to divest the property given it was unable to find a public buyer. The new zoning being sought does not preclude the provision of childcare services being provided.”

A hearing for the rezoning application was held in September by the Government Land Standing Advisory Committee. The committee filed its report to the planning minister in October. It is currently under consideration.

The Windsor Community Children’s Centre chair, Frances Hynes, is pleased with the renewed attention from politicians as the centre awaits the government’s determination.

“The fact the Liberal, federal Labor and the Greens are willing to go to an event together – it’s suddenly become a hot political issue, that’s great. It’s catapulted us to the top of us list,” she said.

“We have received some engagement [from the state government], and it’s encouraging to receive recognition that the centre is important … I am disappointed there was some significant gap in responses from the important players. We haven’t had a visit from [the ministers].”

On Wednesday, the Greens announced a $12 million pledge to save the centre, though that would need the government to adopt the policy. The Victorian Liberals promised to write a letter to Swinburne University, urging it to withdraw its rezoning application. Burns has toured the site twice and written letters opposing the eviction.

More than 650 submissions were filed to the Government Land Standing Advisory Committee ahead of the hearing – one of the largest responses in the state’s history. Nearly all of them opposed the rezoning.

“Please don’t close this wonderful service,” one parent wrote. “It would be an unforgivable travesty to remove such a crucial resource for the community,” said a local. A grandmother pleaded: “Please, please don’t close WCCC.”

Parent Romi Goldshlager says she will have to choose between work or the care of her child if the daycare shuts. Credit: Joe Armao

Samantha Vale, director of the daycare and who has worked at the centre for 25 years, is devastated at the thought of the centre shutting. “It’s a part of who we are, and for me that heartbreaking thing – to lose this site for education, it’s not something we can get back. Where do the children go? Where do the families go?”

Vale said she was kept awake by the thought of bulldozing the daycare’s 40 native trees, logs on the ground and the tree canopy that stretched over the kids playing in the yard.

The Liberals ran second in Prahran at the 2022 state election, pulling just over 30 per cent of the primary vote compared with 36.4 per cent for the Greens. The Greens easily won the two-candidate count on Labor preferences.

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