Concerned parents and community members are petitioning against Maribyrnong City Council's decision to remove the requirement for the provider of a Footscray childcare centre to be not-for-profit.
00:00Sons and daughters of the West taking a stand.
00:06Their message is simple, kids over profit.
00:09When I found out about it, I was shocked.
00:11The Maribyrnone City Council voted last week to ditch the requirement for the Bulldogs Community Children's Centre to have a not-for-profit provider.
00:20We had no idea that there was even a discussion to renew this lease.
00:25Set in the shadows of Witton Oval, the Council has held the lease with the Western Bulldogs Football Club since 2009, run by Early Childhood Management Services.
00:36The current lease expired in April last year. The Bulldogs now requesting a new 10-year lease and new terms.
00:44It means commercial operators can bid for the right to run the centre.
00:49I'm concerned about the impacts to staff, the impacts to our children and overall the fact that for-profit centres are less connected to the local community.
01:00To Maria Meek, the centre has been a second family.
01:04Her eldest daughter finishing up there last year and her youngest following in his sister's footsteps.
01:10Is Charlie being funny?
01:12She's concerned if the centre does become commercial, securing a place may become more difficult.
01:18It's hard enough as it is to get into childcare centres locally, let alone adding the whole profit being a part of the argument.
01:27That's why we pay our rates, because we want Council to provide high quality, not-for-profit, whether it be aged care, early childhood education.
01:38The Western Bulldogs say the new lease will allow more flexibility and long-term security without compromising affordability.
01:46But many parents just want the current not-for-profit provider to continue to run the service.
01:52We really hope that this is just a lapse in judgement and a lapse in wording in a council motion and we hope that this is a big fuss for nothing.
02:00Chasing clarity on a centre close to people's hearts.
02:04Chasing clarity on a centre close to people's hearts.
02:11Chasing clarity on a centre close to people's hearts.
