STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Ms BRISKEY (Maribyrnong) (13:39): Last week was Early Learning Matters Week, and there was only one way to mark the occasion: by going out and connecting with the incredible early childhood educators across my electorate of Maribyrnong. My morning started at Goodstart in Flemington, where Vanshika and her colleagues were excited to talk about what the 15 per cent pay rise that we've delivered means to them.

Then it was up the road to the Guardian in Ascot Vale—a gorgeous double-fronted home, where I met two other Jos. One of them has been there for 18 years—18 years, helping to educate a whole generation of Ascot Vale children, and she talks about them with such pride. Then I went across to Avondale Heights, where Mehreen took me through every room at the Nido learning centre, with a very determined young co-tour-guide stopping each time to ask how he could help his educators.

I finished with Josie's team at the Guardian in Essendon, which holds both the Guardian Victorian kinder Educator of the Year and the Cook of the Year in the same centre. There are many people who still call this work 'babysitting'. It isn't.

It's the first rung of our education system, and the people I met last Wednesday are educating our next generation. To Vanshika, Mehreen, Josie and the two Jos and every early childhood educator across my community: I thank you for the work that you do every day.