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Media coverage: ABC news article​, The Age

The kids of Bulldogs Community Children's Centre need your help!

The Bulldogs Community Children’s Centre has been run by a not-for-profit for the past 16 years. Their lease agreement is up, after expiring in April 2024. Now Maribyrnong council, as the owners of the facility, have to decide what to do. What should be a straightforward lease renewal has become a mess. 

Our centre is at risk of closing and changing hands to a for profit centre manager. We’ve all seen the media stories about what happens at for profit centres, we don’t want this to happen. 

We have 28 days until the council meet again. We’re asking everyone to email, call and text Maribyrnong Council, our local MPs, and the Western Bulldogs Footy club and more to tell them to stop this from happening. 

Background

The Western Bulldogs AFL Club (yep, the club) put forward a resolution at the 17 June Maribyrnong Council meeting requesting that the Council remove the requirement for the early learning provider to be a not-for-profit organisation, and to extend lease period to 10 years (up from 5). 

In a nutshell, council voted in support of this, with a 28 day consultation period. This means that a commercial for-profit provider could soon be running this centre - for a whole decade - before we can have a say in changing it.

What’s the issue?

• The current provider now needs to compete against for-profit companies to manage the centre, which may prioritise profit over the best interests of our community, children, and education staff.
• This new lease agreement will effectively remove a council owned asset from community control and place it in the hands of two corporations.
• Long term impacts on accessibility for children in the surrounding neighbourhood to long daycare and Kindergarten as the waitlists will no longer be managed through council, which has criteria to protect inclusivity and access. 
• Disruption to continuity of care for the children at the centre, who have established deep relationships with the experienced educators at Bulldogs CCC. A change in provider is likely to displace employment for existing staff. 

Why should people care?

Bulldogs Community Children’s Centre is more than just a childcare service—it is a valued part of our community. It is a community asset that should remain in the ownership of the community.

Western Bulldogs need to reinforce their commitment to Footscray and not put profits over local families. 

We call on the Maribyrnong City Council and Western Bulldogs Football Club to:

✅ Keep the not-for-profit requirement in the lease agreement.
✅ Commit to maintaining the current, high-quality not-for-profit provider and staff.
✅ Prioritise kids’ safety & education over profits.

Council contacts

The Councillors voting in favour of the motion to allow a for-profit takeover were:

Mayor, Cr Pradeep Tiwari (deciding vote) 

• Telephone 0423 887 493
•  Email Cr.Tiwari@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au

Cr Cuc Lam PSM

• Telephone 0429 383 099
• Email Cr.Lam@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au

Cr Susan Yengi

• Telephone 0423 769 995
• Email Cr.Yengi@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au

Councillors voting in opposition to the motion:

Deputy Mayor, Cr Bernadette Thomas

•  Telephone 0407 599 698
• Email Cr.Thomas@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au

Cr Samantha Meredith

• Telephone 0423 761 560
• Email Cr.Meredith@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au

Cr Elena Pereyra

•  Telephone 0423 836 555
•  Email Cr.Pereyra@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au

Councillors who abstained (stated conflict of interest):

Cr Mohamed Semra

• Telephone 0423 778 507
• Email Cr.Semra@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au