OPINION
TRANSFORMATION IN SIGHT THE FEDERAL BUDGET HAS PROVIDED THE BUILDING BLOCKS, BUT WE ARE ALL PART OF THE SOLUTION
T
he Federal Government’s Budget commitment of $17.7 billion over four years towards aged care reform has in no small way reflected the campaign by age services provider organisations to keep aged care on the political agenda. Never more than now has our sector needed such attention after the final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, released on 26 February this year, highlighted systemic problems largely caused by the policy failures of successive governments. What we saw from the Government on 11 May is a Budget response in three parts: a substantial level of funding over the coming years; a detailed government response to nearly all of
Sean Rooney Chief Executive Officer Leading Age Services Australia
the Royal Commission’s 148 recommendations; and a five-year plan for reform. The Budget made significant steps towards addressing three issues of urgent concern for older Australians, aged care workers and service providers. These being, creating 80,000 new home care packages over two years to deal with the waiting list of nearly 100,000 people, some of whom have been waiting for more than 12 months; relief for aged care homes under financial pressure; and workforce support including more care minutes per day and 34,000 funded training places to allow for much-needed workforce development. The Budget response also adopted the Royal Commission recommendations for a new Aged Care Act, which places the
LASA CEO Sean Rooney has been busy speaking on behalf of aged care providers and older Australians in the media about major changes facing the age services industry. Continued on page 8
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