Brisbane City Council to slash First 5 Forever library reading program

A mega literary protest backed by indie rocker Patience Hodgson will be staged outside City Hall to try to stop cuts to a popular children’s reading program in council-run libraries.

Dr Harriet Dempsey-Jones, with daughter Lyra, 2, says parents were told last week that library reading programs would be cut. Picture: Liam Kidston

Parents are up in arms about apparent large cuts to a popular children’s reading program in Brisbane’s council-run libraries, prompting Brisbane music icon Patience Hodgson from The Grates to host a mega reading protest event outside City Hall next week.

A Taringa mother said parents at Indooroopilly Library were told last Friday about the changes which affected more thna a dozen Brisbane libraries.

New figures from the Labor council Opposition claimed library staff numbers had also been in decline over the past two years.

Labor Leader Jared Cassidy said on November 19 that a total of 236.6 full-time equivalent staff were employed this financial year, down from 250.6 last financial year and 261 in 2022/23.

Civic Cabinet Chair for Community and the Arts Councillor Vicki Howard said the “First 5 Forever” was a State Government-funded program and that council continued to deliver almost 4000 of these free sessions every year on their behalf.

Dr Harriet Dempsey-Jones, with daughter Lyra, 2, at Toowong Library. Picture: Liam Kidston

“Unfortunately, the previous Labor state government cut funding for this program and saddled council with the costs,” she said.

“Despite this, we are making sure free First Five Storytime sessions continue to be available at all Brisbane libraries, while ensuring our council continues to spend within its means.”

Ms Hodgson will lead a Giant Rhyme Time protest, organised by Indooroopilly-area state Greens MP Michael Berkman in King George Square on November 27.

Mr Berkman has also launched a petition which attracted 1873 signatures in one day. As at November 21 it had 3543 signatures.

“I’ve now learned these cuts are happening at libraries across Brisbane, with some programs being reduced by more than a third,’’ he said.

“We’re petitioning the LNP at Council and State Government level to reverse the cuts.

“I started this petition because so many parents came to me and asked for help to save rhyme time, story time and toddler time sessions at libraries like Indooroopilly.

“These programs not only teach children crucial literacy skills, but they provide a community for parents in what can otherwise be a pretty isolating time.

“In a cost of living crisis, we should be prioritising free activities for families, not cutting them.’’

Cr Vicki Howard says funding for the program was cut by the previous state government. Picture: Liam Kidston

A Labor spokesman denied there had been cuts by the previous state government.

The spokesman said state funding was not cut but was reallocated on a per capita basis across Queensland councils.

An extra $1.2m was allocated to ensure councils such as Brisbane were not worse off.

“Queensland children have been learning to love books through First 5 Forever since Labor introduced it in 2015,” he said.

“We never cut funding to First 5 Forever and now David Crisafulli needs to work with Brisbane City Council before any of these important sessions are cancelled.”

Taringa mother Dr Harriet Dempsey-Jones said she was shocked at the news and has begun handing out flyers after being told of the cuts last week to the First Five Forever sessions at the Indooroopilly Library.

“The sessions are well-attended and are often so full that some families are turned away due to capacity limits, demonstrating strong community interest and need,’’ she said.

“Last Friday parents were told not to expect many more because they would be cut from December.’’

She said no reason was given.

“These sessions promote early literacy and offer valuable community connections for families,’’ she said.

Ms Howard said in Question Time in Tuesday’s council meeting that the state government previously fully funded the program for many years to the tune of $1 million a year.

But she said in 2019 the government cut that to $711,887.

Council had continued to top it up since as well as providing $120,000 to increase the availability of programs.

“There are no cuts from the Schrinner council,” she said.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said his council had to balance its budget.

He said some programs had 100 attendees but others as few as seven.

“We’ve have to prioritise these to where the demand is,” he said.

“We’re advocating to the new state government to see if that (state) funding can be topped up.

“There has been massive cost shifting from other levels of government to councils.”

But a State Libray spokeswoman said council had been provided the same level of funding for First 5 Forever since 2018-19.

“Public libraries are owned and operated by local governments, which determine local priorities, delivery of services, programs and collections,’’ she said. 

Greens MP Michael Berkman. Picture Lachie Millard

Since 2015, the government had provided $5m funding a year, coordinated by State Library and delivered in partnership with local government through more than 325 public libraries.  

Councils could also contribute resources and funding.

Dr Dempsey-Jones, who has expertise in database management, said she compared last year’s program at council libraries with the proposed new program.

Her estimate was that 20 per cent of Toddler Time and Babies, Books and Rhymes sessions, as well as 35 per cent of children’s story time sessions, had been cut from library schedules citywide.

“At Indooroopilly specifically, this change means a reduction from three Toddler Time sessions, two Babies, Books and Rhymes sessions, and one children’s story time each week to just one Toddler Time and one Babies, Books and Rhymes, with story time remaining the same.

“This leaves my two-year-old and me unable to attend the single remaining toddler session, which was a valued, regular activity for us.’’

Mr Cassidy said many parents were upset about the changes to the “well attended and highly valued” program.

Labor leader Jared Cassidy. Picture: Liam Kidston

“How can this LNP regime justify staff and program cuts to Brisbane City Council libraries when sessions are reaching capacity and staff are being overworked?” he said.

“We know the LNP council are aware these program cuts will cause stress in the community because they’ve also provided a script to library staff to share with disgruntled patrons.’’

He said it came after the Carindale Makerspace was axed.

The “First Five Forever” program allows free sessions at libraries for children aged from birth to five years old and includes talking, reading, singing and playing.

Mr Berkman said there was still time to save programs like rhyme time and as his petition gathered momentum he was hopeful.

“We’ve seen in the past that, with enough public pressure, Council can change its mind - like when they dropped the Mt Coot-tha zipline proposal,’’ he said.

“This is an opportunity for the LNP to listen to the community, see that they’ve made a mistake, and fix it.”

Services Union lead organiser Tom Rivers said staff were “bearing the brunt of these cuts”.

“Many are increasingly stressed about their jobs because of ongoing cuts, uncertainty around the budget and council’s refusal to backfill when staff take leave,” he said.

“Library staff also have significantly high levels of distress about the cuts to the First Five Forever program.”

Mr Rivers said some libraries that have had sessions cut were already turning away 30 families per current session.

“So, many libraries are not currently able to service the demand for these sessions and staff are left to deal with the upset community members,” he said.

“In addition, many libraries report that there continue to be unfilled staff vacancies in many libraries.”

Ms Howard said Mr Berkman failed his community by politicising this program instead of “speaking up against years of underinvestment by the former Labor State Government”.