Government Must Act Now To Save Waitara Childcare Centre

A Waitara community childcare centre with 52 children and a 44 year history is being forced out of their premises after a series of failures by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).

Waitara & District Community Childcare were given 90 days’ notice to vacate the LINZ building they occupy – handing them the impossible task of finding a new building and obtaining a Ministry of Education operating licence, a process that typically takes over 12 months.

On Wednesday, it was revealed to staff that suspected black mould had been found in a LINZ-managed adjacent building, not used by the centre. Despite none being found in the centre itself, the Ministry of Education stepped in to close WDCC almost immediately, leaving staff shellshocked and local parents stranded without childcare.

“Early childhood centres keep getting treated like they don’t matter. We believe LINZ knew about the suspected black mould in their part of the building as far back as 2019, and yet they took no steps to manage it or disclose it to our provider until yesterday. They’ve effectively terminated this treasured community childcare centre without compassion, transparency or taking responsibility,” said ECC CEO Simon Laube.

“We’re in disbelief at having to temporarily shut our centre due to LINZ negligence. Through failing to meet their responsibilities and maintain the building, we’re having to close the centre and find alternative premises. We’re a tight knit community and it’s been devastating having to share this with our whānau – there will be a massive financial and emotional impact on them and their children,” said Beth Moeahu of Waitara & District Community Childcare.

“Because of LINZ’s poor management of these buildings, the Waitara community is set to lose a childcare centre with community ties that go back generations. Questions need to be asked about whether LINZ’s management of buildings they lease to early childhood providers is up to scratch, because in this case, they’ve not been responsible landlords.”

“We have not given up hope – while we understand the MOE is helping WDCC find temporary accommodation, we intend to call a community meeting and invite the government officials to share their plans, so we can understand what went wrong and try again to find solutions,” said Simon Laube.

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