I have today written to the NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell to ask her to defer the NSW Government’s current tender process for the Globe Wilkins Preschool until after the Federal Election.

Federal Labor has made a commitment that if elected to Government we will invest $1 million to provide new classroom space for the award winning Preschool on the Wilkins Public School premises.

The tender process, which could result in the eviction or privatisation of this award winning Preschool, should not be rushed and finalised only days before an election.

It would be a tragedy to see this longstanding Preschool closed unnecessarily when an incoming Federal Labor Government has committed the funds to deliver the new classroom spaces needed to save this vital service

I am asking the new Education Minister to intervene and work with the school community to achieve the common sense solution that Federal Labor’s funding commitment provides.

The Globe Wilkins Preschool has been based at Wilkins Public School for 20 years.

The State Liberal Government has refused to provide the additional infrastructure the school needs to accommodate new students. It claims that the school already has ‘available’ space – the same space used by the preschool.

Following the Federal Election there may be an opportunity for cooperation between the Commonwealth and the NSW Government in saving Globe Wilkins Preschool rather than closing it.