Media Release by The Hon Larry Anthony MP

Securing the future for Mackay children

Joint Media Release with:

  • De-Anne Kelly MP, Member for Dawson

Mackay early childhood practitioners and community stakeholders will be given the opportunity to contribute to the development of a National Agenda for Early Childhood at today’s consultation session opened by Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Larry Anthony, and Federal Member for Dawson, De-Anne Kelly.

Mr Anthony and Mrs Kelly together opened the regional workshop on the consultation paper, Towards the Development of a National Agenda for Early Childhood, released by the Federal Government earlier this year.

“A National Agenda for Early Childhood aims to harness the considerable investments already made by Commonwealth, State and local governments and community organisations,” Mr Anthony said.

“This consultation paper and the discussion that will flow from it will provide a road-map for the development of national approaches to early intervention and prevention.

“The focus is on children aged 0-5 years in the key areas of early child and maternal health, early learning and care, and child-friendly communities,” Mr Anthony said.

Mrs Kelly said she was pleased Mackay had been given the opportunity to directly participate in the process of developing a National Agenda to ensure all Australian children get the best possible start in life.

“These workshops are an important part of the consultation phase and I am pleased the Minister is present to hear views of regional Queensland first hand.

“The people participating in the Roundtable today demonstrate their commitment to early childhood development and to improving outcomes for our children – a task that the Federal Government is strongly committed to,” Mrs Kelly said.

“The Coalition Government is committed to the development of a National Agenda for Early Childhood and these consultation workshops are important steps down that road,” Mr Anthony said.

Copies of the consultation paper on the development of a National Agenda for Early Childhood can be downloaded from the Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS) website.