Mixed thoughts on Queensland Budget

RSL Care has supported the Queensland Premier’s announcement to invest $9 million in funding towards The Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research (CADR) for older Queenslanders.

RSL Care chief executive, Craig Mills, said the state government’s investment over a five year period was vitally important given Australia’s ageing population and the increased burden dementia places on the health system as well as family and carers.

“At RSL Care, we aim to enable older people, including people with dementia, to live fulfilling lives,” Mr Mills said.

“The funding toward dementia research provides a much needed boost to the research and treatment of one of Australia’s most prevalent and debilitating conditions.

“Almost 50% of people living in residential aged care in Australia have dementia – a statistic that is expected to treble by 2020.

“It is also a leading cause of burden of disease and disability with a significant impact on quality of life for the person living with the disease as well as their family and friends.”

Mr Mills added any work to increase understanding, improve effectiveness of treatment and possibly lead to the discovery of a cure “had the full support of our staff and I’m sure our residents and their families too”.

However, seniors lobby group, National Seniors, claimed the Queensland budget would bring “limited relief to state’s seniors”.

While an increase in concessions is welcome, many older people will still have to find extra money just to pay household bills after 1 July, as power prices skyrocket by 22%.

Some eligible seniors can expect increased electricity concessions of up to $282 per household per year, a jump of 22% including the Electricity Rebate Scheme and the Medical Cooling and Heating Concession.

But the rises will not cover other cost of living increases due to take effect within weeks, National Seniors claimed.

These include a rise to 9% in the stamp duty on insurance premiums from 1 August to prepare for funding the DisabilityCare Australia commitment.

Homeowners will also foot the bill for a 6.5% increase in the existing Urban Fire Levy from 1 January next year or the imposition of a new levy in areas that did not previously have one. The charge will be renamed the Emergency Management, Fire and Rescue Levy.

“Many older Queenslanders are struggling to make ends meet and while the increases in concessions help with the cost of living, they are still out of pocket,” Vera Somerwil, National Seniors Queensland Policy Advisory Group chair, said.

“The concession rises will simply not go far enough,” she added. “People on fixed or even falling incomes, such as pensioners and self funded retirees, will find it increasingly difficult to cope with the soaring costs of insurance and other basic necessities.

“Some will have to make difficult decisions about whether they can pay their bills or put food on the table.”