Griffith University announced on October 16 it was planning to close the centres by December 17, with staff remaining on-site until December 19.

The university told staff and parents the buildings needed extensive renovations, and would need to remain closed until about mid-2026.

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A spokesperson told this masthead the university had been in talks with a private service provider, who would oversee renovations after the closure, then manage the centre.

Parents of the roughly 100 children at the kindergarten and childcare centres said they were left scrambling with the short notice, and many had been unable to speak out as they were also Griffith staff members.

Tuck said the closure would have forced her son to begin prep classes earlier than anticipated.

“The only ideal outcome was to spend another year at Boronia,” she said.

“My son now gets a much better chance to engage with his early education before going onwards [to] build that love of learning.”

Bryant last week met directly with parents at a meeting between the university, member for Mansfield Corrine McMillan, and representatives of Yarranlea Primary School, which sits on the now-defunct Griffith Mount Gravatt campus.

Griffith executives also organised to meet with parents on Friday evening in the CBD.

“Now we can go in and … have a real discussion, a really productive discussion [tonight],” Tuck said.

“While we still have a lot of questions about what will happen, the staff aren’t going to lose their jobs by Christmas now, we don’t have to find alternative care, [and] we can all breathe a bit easier now.”

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