STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr GOSLING (Solomon) (13:31): At the last election, I committed to delivering a new early learning centre for families in the suburb of Karama. Today, I'm pleased to say we're delivering it. The Australian and Northern Territory governments have locked in $8.7 million to build a new 60-place early learning centre at Manunda Terrace Primary School.

That means more children in Darwin's northern suburbs will have access to early education and more families will be able to access the care and education for their young ones that they need. But this investment is about more than creating 60 new places; by locating the centre at Manunda Terrace Primary School, we're creating a stronger pathway for local kids from their earliest years into the classroom.

There is a preference for an Aboriginal community controlled organisation to operate the new service, as most of the young ones are from Aboriginal families in the area. The Karama centre is part of our $1 billion Building Early Education Fund, investing in early learning where it's needed most. Alongside this, we're fully funding Northern Territory public schools.

From early learning through to primary and secondary school, we're investing in Territory kids, giving them the best possible start in life. We're making sure that TAFE is free, that there's paid prac and more opportunities at Charles Darwin University. We're supporting Territorians.