Waiting game until 2012 Federal Budget
This year’s Federal Budget is a “hold the line affair” for aged care, according to Aged Care Association Australia chief executive officer, Rod Young.
While Mr Young applauds the government for its largest commitment to mental health services in Australian history with a $1.5 billion package in the budget, he said he would like to “remind the Prime Minister that she also promised to deal with aged care as a second term priority.”
“Aged care is still waiting,” Mr Young told DPS Publishing.
“The details of this budget clearly show that reform, especially for capital investment in residential care, is now critical,” he said.
Mr Young said the government must move to implement aged care reforms in their second term as promised, which means “significant reform must be delivered in the 2012 Budget.”
It is hoped that 2012 will be the ‘year of aged care’, where it will reap much-deserved recognition and funding.
“For an industry that will need to treble its workforce in the next 30 years, the announcement to treat the aged care workforce as a major priority within a revised restructure of skills training and to provide a better interface with industry to develop a more appropriate skills base is welcome,” Mr Young said.
“This year’s Budget does not address some of the pressing issues the industry urgently needs, however, if the government delivers on the promise to address aged care reform in its second term, the aged care sector looks forward to an exciting year of change,” he said.
