Arylene Westlake-Jennings: Meddling councils making child care impossible


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As a mother of two who works full-time hours, I am a huge champion of the childcare industry and especially its workers, whom I hope get paid what they deserve for putting up with all the dramas that come with the gig.

But that’s a discussion for another time as my gripe this week is with the local councils that are making things harder for new centres to open up.

It is a local government’s role to look after its ratepayers and they are not doing so if we go by some of the decision-making on childcare facilities.

City of Melville has put forward a scheme amendment that is currently with the WA Planning Commission to forbid new childcare centres being built along major highways and busy roads, such as Stock Road, Canning Highway and Leach Highway, citing concerns about safety and the health effects of breathing in car fumes.

North of the river, Joondalup council doesn’t want childcare centres to be built in residential areas if there are more than 50 children in care — although it recently went against its own policy and approved one in Sorrento because there were absolutely zero options in the suburb.

Neighbouring City of Stirling is also considering updating its own childcare policy, citing concerns around centres abutting residential properties among its proposed changes.


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