A Facebook post made about the reopening by the childcare facilitators announced a new centre manager, Harpreet Kaur, had been appointed.
“We are committed in providing (a) safe, loving and caring environment for all children,” the post continued.
The developer, Michael Awad, who owns the property and building at 39 Sanctuary Dve, arranged to have temporary fencing put up, locks changed and security at the facility last week after claiming the tenant hadn’t paid rent for several months and owed him more than $200,000.
A hearing in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal was held on Thursday, December 5 at the request of the Small Friends operator, Birkin Australia.
The tribunal ordered that the operators were entitled to immediate possession of the premises at 39 Sanctuary Dve, Kialla, and that the operators were entitled to change the locks to give them immediate access to the childcare building.
The operators were required to supply a set of keys to the building owner, Rejoice Mary Early Education and Care Pty Ltd.
Mr Awad said on Friday that $163,000 of the adjusted $193,000 debt had been paid to him on Tuesday, December 3.
Both he and Anna Zhang from Small Friends supplied The News with the same court document from Thursday’s injunction that states the amount of $30,683 remains in dispute.
Ms Zhang said parents would not be charged fees from the week-long closure (from Thursday to Thursday) and that there would no longer be a requirement for parents to provide two weeks’ notice when moving their child to another centre.
For her staff, she said resignation would now require one or two weeks’ notice if they wanted to search for new employment, but said she hadn’t yet received any letters of resignation.
She also said staff would get a 50-cent/hour wage increase, or $1100 wage increase annually for full-time workers.
