16 December 2020
The Australian Council of Social Service has today welcomed the $850 million investment in 10,000 new home care packages as a great step along the way to reducing the wait list for home care packages.
ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie said:
“This investment of $850 million is an important step towards ensuring that older people can stay in their homes for longer and get the care they need to do so.
“ACOSS and our members have been advocating for years that we need further investment in home care packages. While there is still further investment needed to ensure that all older people can get the care in their homes that they need, this announcement is welcome news.
“Unfortunately too many people are entering residential aged care when, with the right support, they could remain at home. We must continue to invest so that older people can remain at home and get the support that they need to do so.
“While this investment is good news for the older people who are waiting for a home care package, it is also good news for our economic recovery. This is a jobs-rich investment that will generate employment and deliver a boost to the economy.
“With appropriate training, home care packages can generate jobs quickly. As with public infrastructure projects, a share of these jobs should be earmarked for people who have been unemployed long-term or are most at risk of this.”
ACOSS Budget Priorities Statement 2020/2021 called for $2.3 billion investment by the Federal Government to reduce the wait list for home care packages to no more than three months
ACOSS Supplementary Budget Submission 2020/2021 reiterated this call for $2.3 billion investment by the Federal Government to reduce the wait list for home care packages to no more than three months.
ACOSS COVID19 Economic Recovery Briefing similarly called for $2.3 billion investment by the Federal Government to reduce the wait list for home care packages to no more than three months.
