← All decisions

1. What was proposed (co-sponsored)Laura NuttallGreens · CrossbenchJo ClayGreens · Crossbench
   Read the original wording (490 words)

   That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) that SDN Bluebell has provided exceptionally high-quality education and care to young Canberrans since 1996, and has developed a tight-knit and highly engaged community of educators and families, many of whom will be greatly impacted by its impending closure; (b) the Mitchell Institute’s 2024 “Mapping the childcare deserts” report notes that the Belconnen region has some of the highest unmet demand for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Canberra, with some areas having available space for just over a quarter of the children living in the area; (c) the recent cross-party Children First Alliance Roundtable has highlighted the pressures currently experienced by not-for-profit ECEC centres, and has called for increased partnership between the sector and government; (d) the planned closure of SDN Bluebell reflects ongoing struggles faced by not- for-profit ECEC providers throughout Canberra who are struggling to compete with for-profit providers for facilities; and (e) not-for-profit ECEC provides high-quality, affordable education for families and supportive workplaces for early childhood educators, focused on the best education for children in their care rather than turning a profit; (2) further notes that: (a) a development application for 44 College Street (Section 45 Block 16 Belconnen) was lodged on 25 March 2025, proposing the demolition of the existing childcare centre on the site to make way for a multi-unit development; (b) SDN Bluebell announced its intended end-of-year closure in mid-August this year, due to the lease ending and the crown lease holder proceeding to develop residential dwellings on the site. The SDN Bluebell community has responded quickly and clearly about how disappointed they are in the loss of this vital institution; (c) on 18 September, SDN Bluebell announced that their lease had been extended until December 2026 or until a new facility was found; (d) the site’s crown lease provides that: (i) the purpose of the lease is for a childcare centre, and any other use of the premise is in addition to that; and (ii) the lease may be terminated if a year passes without the land being used for this purpose; and (e) the current development application does not seek to vary the crown lease; and (3) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) request advice from the Territory Planning Authority on whether the proposed development of Block 16 Section 45 Belconnen would be compliant with conditions of the current crown lease and table this by 21 October 2025; (b) undertake a demand and supply analysis for ECEC centres in the ACT, including the Belconnen area, to better understand the impact of SDN Bluebell’s potential closure and table this by March 2026; (c) provide SDN Bluebell with any support required in finding an alternate location and undertaking appropriate modifications to make sure it complies with relevant building standards and the National Quality Framework; and (d) commit to providing targeted assistance for not-for-profit ECEC centres at risk of closing, such as assisting them in finding alternate sites.

2. Proposed changeYvette BerryLabor · Minister24 September 2025

   Grouped by key words as: rewrote the proposal, turned an action into a review.

   The exact wording of this change

   Omit all text after paragraph (3)(b), substitute: “(c) provide support to not-for-profit ECEC centres like SDN Bluebell at risk of closing, such as assisting them in finding an alternate site and provide support in navigating planning and regulatory processes; (d) commit to working with the not-for-profit early learning sector to explore measures to increase the number of not-for-profit early childhood and education and care services in the ACT through future land release; and (e) commit to increasing support for the not-for-profit and community-run early earning sector, by ensuring all future services in ACT Government-owned buildings are leased to not-for-profit or community-providers at a below market rate.”. Debate continued.

   Agreed on the voices. No individual votes were recorded. Some of its wording is in the final text.

3. Proposed changeThomas EmersonIndependent · Crossbench24 September 2025

   Noted that planning law favours for-profit providers, and called for exploring planning reform to prevent oversupply of centres. Our summary, review in progress

   The exact wording of this change

   to the motion, as amended, together: 1. After paragraph (1)(c), insert: “(d) when a new ECEC centre is planned for development in the ACT, the planning process does not require consideration of need, viability, or impact on existing centres. The existing planning laws disproportionately advantage for-profit ECEC providers and price-out not-for-profit providers, leading to oversaturation of the market by for-profit providers in some areas;”. 2. After paragraph (3)(b), insert: “(c) explore legislative planning reform options to prevent oversaturation of the ECEC market and safeguard the commercial viability of not-for-profit centres;”. Debate continued.

   Agreed on the voices. No individual votes were recorded. Its wording is in the final text.

4. What the Assembly decidedAgreed

   Decided on the voices: no individual votes were recorded, so this doesn’t show that every MLA agreed.

   Final agreed wording, with changes marked

   That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) that SDN Bluebell has provided exceptionally high-quality education and care to young Canberrans since 1996, and has developed a tight-knit and highly engaged community of educators and families, many of whom will be greatly impacted by its impending closure; (b) the Mitchell Institute’s 2024 ‘Mapping the childcare deserts’ report notes that the Belconnen region has some of the highest unmet demand for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Canberra, with some areas having available space for just over a quarter of the children living in the area; (c) the recent cross-party Children First Alliance Roundtable has highlighted the pressures currently experienced by not-for-profit ECEC centres, and has called for increased partnership between the sector and government; (d) when a new ECEC centre is planned for development in the ACT, the planning process does not require consideration of need, viability, or impact on existing centres. The existing planning laws disproportionately advantage for- profit ECEC providers and price-out not-for-profit providers, leading to oversaturation of the market by for-profit providers in some areas; (e) the planned closure of SDN Bluebell reflects ongoing struggles faced by not- for-profit ECEC providers throughout Canberra who are struggling to compete with for-profit providers for facilities; and (f) not-for-profit ECEC provides high-quality, affordable education for families and supportive workplaces for early childhood educators, focused on the best education for children in their care rather than turning a profit; (2) further notes that: (a) a development application for 44 College Street (Section 45 Block 16 Belconnen) was lodged on 25 March 2025, proposing the demolition of the existing childcare centre on the site to make way for a multi-unit development; (b) SDN Bluebell announced its intended end-of-year closure in mid-August this year, due to the lease ending and the crown lease holder proceeding to develop residential dwellings on the site. The SDN Bluebell community has responded quickly and clearly about how disappointed they are in the loss of this vital institution; (c) on 18 September, SDN Bluebell announced that their lease had been extended until December 2026 or until a new facility was found; (d) the site’s crown lease provides that: (i) the purpose of the lease is for a childcare centre, and any other use of the premise is in addition to that; and (ii) the lease may be terminated if a year passes without the land being used for this purpose; and (e) the current development application does not seek to vary the crown lease; and (3) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) request advice from the Territory Planning Authority on whether the proposed development of Block 16 Section 45 Belconnen would be compliant with conditions of the current crown lease and table this by 21 October 2025; (b) undertake a demand and supply analysis for ECEC centres in the ACT, including the Belconnen area, to better understand the impact of SDN Bluebell’s potential closure and table this by March 2026; (c) explore legislative planning reform options to prevent oversaturation of the ECEC market and safeguard the commercial viability of not-for-profit centresEmerson; (d) provide support to not-for-profit ECEC centres like SDN Bluebell at risk of closing, such as assisting them in finding an alternate site and provide support in navigating planning and regulatory processes; (e) commit to working with the not-for-profit early learning sector to explore measures to increase the number of not-for-profit early childhood and education and care services in the ACT through future land release; and (f) commit to increasing support for the not-for-profit and community-run early earning sector, by ensuring all future services in ACT Government-owned buildings are leased to not-for-profit or community-providers at a below market rate.

   Original and final wording compared

   taken out put in

   That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) that SDN Bluebell has provided exceptionally high-quality education and care to young Canberrans since 1996, and has developed a tight-knit and highly engaged community of educators and families, many of whom will be greatly impacted by its impending closure; (b) the Mitchell Institute’s 2024 ‘Mapping the childcare deserts’ report notes that the Belconnen region has some of the highest unmet demand for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Canberra, with some areas having available space for just over a quarter of the children living in the area; (c) the recent cross-party Children First Alliance Roundtable has highlighted the pressures currently experienced by not-for-profit ECEC centres, and has called for increased partnership between the sector and government; (d) [put in: when a new ECEC centre is planned for development in]the [put in: ACT, the planning process does not require consideration of need, viability, or impact on existing centres. The existing planning laws disproportionately advantage for- profit ECEC providers and price-out not-for-profit providers, leading to oversaturation of the market by for-profit providers in some areas; (e) the]planned closure of SDN Bluebell reflects ongoing struggles faced by not- for-profit ECEC providers throughout Canberra who are struggling to compete with for-profit providers for facilities; and [taken out: (e)][put in: (f)]not-for-profit ECEC provides high-quality, affordable education for families and supportive workplaces for early childhood educators, focused on the best education for children in their care rather than turning a profit; (2) further notes that: (a) a development application for 44 College Street (Section 45 Block 16 Belconnen) was lodged on 25 March 2025, proposing the demolition of the existing childcare centre on the site to make way for a multi-unit development; (b) SDN Bluebell announced its intended end-of-year closure in mid-August this year, due to the lease ending and the crown lease holder proceeding to develop residential dwellings on the site. The SDN Bluebell community has responded quickly and clearly about how disappointed they are in the loss of this vital institution; (c) on 18 September, SDN Bluebell announced that their lease had been extended until December 2026 or until a new facility was found; (d) the site’s crown lease provides that: (i) the purpose of the lease is for a childcare centre, and any other use of the premise is in addition to that; and (ii) the lease may be terminated if a year passes without the land being used for this purpose; and (e) the current development application does not seek to vary the crown lease; and (3) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) request advice from the Territory Planning Authority on whether the proposed development of Block 16 Section 45 Belconnen would be compliant with conditions of the current crown lease and table this by 21 October 2025; (b) undertake a demand and supply analysis for ECEC centres in the ACT, including the Belconnen area, to better understand the impact of SDN Bluebell’s potential closure and table this by March 2026; (c) [taken out: provide SDN Bluebell with any support required in finding an alternate location and undertaking appropriate modifications][put in: explore legislative planning reform options]to [taken out: make sure it complies with relevant building standards and][put in: prevent oversaturation of]the [taken out: National Quality Framework;][put in: ECEC market]and [put in: safeguard the commercial viability of not-for-profit centres;](d) [taken out: commit][put in: provide support]to [taken out: providing targeted assistance for]not-for-profit ECEC centres [put in: like SDN Bluebell]at risk of closing, such as assisting them in finding [put in: an]alternate [taken out: sites.][put in: site and provide support in navigating planning and regulatory processes; (e) commit to working with the not-for-profit early learning sector to explore measures to increase the number of not-for-profit early childhood and education and care services in the ACT through future land release; and (f) commit to increasing support for the not-for-profit and community-run early earning sector, by ensuring all future services in ACT Government-owned buildings are leased to not-for-profit or community-providers at a below market rate.]

   Compared word by word by computer, ignoring punctuation. It shows what differs, not which change made each difference; the steps above show that.