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A meeting this week between the two in Canberra was said by sources familiar with the matter but not authorised to speak publicly to have “not gone well”.
Swinburne has applied to have the site – given to the uni for free in 2013 by the state government – rezoned into a prime mixed-use development site.
The university says the state’s Valuer-General puts the property’s value at $14. 2 million, and that the only concrete offer it has received is from the federal government for $4.3 million, which would have left Swinburne nearly $10 million out of pocket.
“As of 7 November 2025, Swinburne has not received an offer and the only funding committed towards the purchase of the property is $4.3 million from the federal government, made during the most recent election campaign,” a Swinburne spokesman said.
“This is $10 million short of the Valuer-General’s valuation of $14.23 million.
“Accepting this would mean $10 million less for Swinburne to invest in teaching and learning for our students.”
In a joint statement on Friday, Burns and Stonnington Mayor Melina Sehr said Swinburne had indicated its willingness to work with the other parties to keep WCCC open, but that the uni had “changed their position at the eleventh hour and turned their back on the children of Windsor”.
Burns said the local community needed high-quality childcare.
“That’s why we committed millions to work with the City of Stonnington to keep this centre in the community’s hands, and why it is so frustrating Swinburne are being so heartless,” the Macnamara MP said.
“The families, educators, parents and community deserve better than what they are getting from Swinburne University.”
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The university denied it had changed its position or negotiated in bad faith.
“Swinburne wants to find a solution that meets the needs of all parties involved,” the spokesman said.
“We have been upfront and transparent about what would be required to transact a purchase.”
The centre’s board said in a statement that the university was kicking the service out and pleaded for all parties to return to the negotiating table.
“It is a failure of Swinburne University who are kicking us out, depriving the community
and profiting from the sale of a publicly zoned asset,” the statement read.
“It’s a failure of the stewardship expected of governments to ensure stable, high-quality early childhood education and care for our community.
“WCCC remains hopeful that through cooperation and leadership across all levels of government
and Swinburne University, an outcome can still be achieved that keeps this vital service open.”
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