The Federal Minister for Early Childhood Education and Child Care, Kate Ellis, and the Victorian Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development, Maxine Morand, today announced funding for a new early learning and care centre in Broadmeadows, Victoria.

The $3.1 million project includes $1.6 million from the Australian Government provided through the Early Learning and Care Centre initiative and about $1.5 million from the Victorian Government to establish the new centre as part of the Broadmeadows early years hub.

Based on the findings of a feasibility study undertaken by the Hume City Council, the centre will be located within the Broadmeadows hub and will offer at least 50 new child care places to provide quality early learning and care to children aged up to five.

The hub will also offer a range of maternal and child health services, such as playgroups, parenting groups and family day care, and will ensure that the centre caters for working families within the community.

The new Broadmeadows centre is one of 11 new early learning and care centres, including one autism-specific centre, to be established in Victoria and will be operational by the end of 2010.

Ms Ellis said the Australian Government was committed to providing high quality, affordable and easily accessible early learning and care services to all Australian families.

"This new centre in Broadmeadows will give families access to better integrated family and children’s services," Ms Ellis said.

"The Broadmeadows early learning and care centre is part of the Australian Government’s $114.5 million investment to establish 38 new early learning and care centres in priority locations by 2010."

"The Brumby Labor Government is taking action with a commitment to fund 95 new children’s centres so that Victorian families and children would have the quality services they need," Ms Morand said.

"We’re investing in children’s services for a better future for young Victorians."

Both the Federal Member for Calwell, Maria Vamvakinou and the State Member for Broadmeadows, Victorian Premier John Brumby, welcomed the announcement.

"This initiative is part of the Australian Government’s Education Revolution that will ensure Australia's early childhood care and education system is well placed to improve outcomes for children and their families," Ms Vamvakinou said.

She said the Australian Government was acting to assist working families by providing more child care places within the local community, with the new Broadmeadows centre and the early learning and care centre as part of the Craigieburn Child and Family Centre.

Mr Brumby said the new Broadmeadows centre would benefit families with more accessible, high quality early learning services.

"We want to make sure we give Victorians every opportunity to learn so that they can have the best possible future," Mr Brumby said.

"That is why we will continue to work in partnership with local communities to provide the services, new employment opportunities and supports that they deserve."