About 100 people turned up for the meeting hoping Linz would front to explain its decision. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Land Information New Zealand was a no-show at a meeting to consider the future of a Taranaki daycare centre the government agency last week evicted from a building it had occupied for 44 years.
The Waitara and District Community Childcare Centre now faces a race against time to find new premises for the more than 50 tamariki in its care before losing its licence.
More than 100 people crammed into the North Taranaki Sports and Recreation Centre in Waitara - most wanting answers from Land Information New Zealand - or Linz - about the daycare's sudden eviction.
Gina Blackburn says LINZ no-show was an insult to the community. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Gina Blackburn, who had put her children through the childcare centre, was dismayed at the agency's no-show.
"I think it is completely insulting to our community, the fact that they can't even show face to explain themselves, how they came to make this horrendous decision that affects 52 families in our community and potentially more because it's blocking other children from potentially accessing childcare and the reasoning they've provided is weak."
After initially serving the daycare a 90-day notice to quit the building due to expire in May, Linz revealed last week suspected black mould was the reason behind the notice.
The Ministry of Education stepped in and the centre was closed with immediate effect.
Centre manager Beth Moeahu says she'll be heartbroken if the centre is forced to close. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Centre manager Beth Moeahu said the school community was reeling.
"We are just devastated; it's just been a massive hit in the face and we're just scrambling. That's all we can say at the moment, we're just scrambling.
"Our major priority is our families, our parents and our children, to make sure they're okay. So, we're just doing all we can to support them as well as trying to find somewhere for us to be."
She too struggled with Linz's absence.
"I can't swear but just very gutless, very gutless not to come here and talk to us face to face and answer the questions we've got."
The affected tamariki had been offered temporary space at the Waitara Playcentre and the sport and recreation centre was also investigating hosting the daycare temporarily.
Famer Nathan Taylor says the closure has come at a bad time for his family. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Nathan Taylor said the disruption came at a bad time.
"Ah you know it's made it hard for us on the farm not being able to have our kid in a daycare.
"So at the moment my wife is having to stay at home and I'm doing all the farmwork myself.
"It's not the end of the world but it's just for the day-to-day running of the farm it is needed to have a couple of people on farm and with the situation we're in with the drought at the moment it just doesn't make it any easier for us."
Lucy Peterson said her daughter, Macy, had been left confused by the centre's sudden closure.
"She's asking where's my lunchbox, where's my bag, she's going can I paint all these things.
"Asking about the people, looking at her artwork on the fridge and talking about her teachers. It's sad."
The centre had 10 months to find a new home.
Early Childhood Council boss Simon Laube says nine out of 10 centres in similar situations close permanently. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Early Childhood Council chief executive Simon Laube, who chaired the meeting, said nine times out of 10 similar situations resulted in permanent closure.
"Every day they continue they are defying that and they've got two potential short-term options on the table right now.
"That's great but these short-term options won't get you very far. Eventually those 10 months will run out, so the time is running out to find a permanent option."
Closing would be unthinkable to Moeahu.
"I've worked in this centre for nearly 30 years, my children have gone through the centre, so if we were closed I can't even express how devastated I would be. Heartbroken, heartbroken is probably all I can say."
The Ministry of Education, which had representatives at the meeting, confirmed it had issued the centre with a temporary relocation licence.
LINZ said it was committed to working with the centre and the wider community in an open and transparent manner and had asked for questions from the meeting to be forwarded to it.
