CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Mr BURNS (Macnamara) (09:45): I am absolutely delighted to be able to say that yesterday the Swinburne University senate council approved the sale of the Windsor Community Children's Centre site in the city of Stonnington after years and years of campaigning by the Windsor Community Children's Centre. There are still a few I's to dot and T's to cross, and the council, the state government and the federal government are all working in collaboration to ensure that the sale can proceed and that the lease can be signed with the Windsor Community Children's Centre.

I have spoken many times in this place and in the other place about the Windsor Community Children's Centre. It is one of the most magical little pockets of my electorate, where young little learners can go and can play. There is this amazing garden, and I've brought ministers and colleagues there to go and see just how incredible it is.

What is really special about the Windsor Community Children's Centre is that it's a community-run early education centre, and the parents and the community of Windsor have really galvanised and gotten behind this campaign. They have fought so hard at each and every turn to make this possible, and there were moments when I didn't think this was possible. When Swinburne made the decision to sell this land and divest from it, we had crisis meetings.

We had planning for a whole range of different scenarios that was, frankly, devastating. But, thanks to the work of the parents and the people of Windsor and the community—and I was proud to support them—we have achieved what was at the time unthinkable. I give a special shout out to the outgoing vice chancellor of Swinburne, Pascal Cuesta, who has been along this journey.

We have had some honest and robust conversations, but she has always acted respectfully and listened to me and has been integral in turning this around inside Swinburne. I thank her very much for her efforts and for leading this inside the organisation, and I wish her well on her next chapter. Of course, the biggest thank you goes to Sophie and Alastair, to Fiona, to the educators, to Jonathan and to the entire team at the Windsor Community Children's Centre, who have just been formidable and brave and loud and tireless in their efforts to save this incredible community organisation.

This is a sale that will happen thanks to our contribution of $4.3 million, the council's contribution and the contribution of so many wonderful people of Windsor. Long may the WCCC live!