Aged Care Reform was the centrepiece of this year’s Federal Budget, both in policy and financial terms. Apart from aged care there are not huge gains in this Budget.
COTA Australia tonight welcomed the very substantial package of measures in tonight’s Federal Budget that will fire the starting gun on a substantial overhaul of the aged care system over the next five years, supported by additional expenditure of $17.7 Billion over four years.
The Opposition’s Budget Reply, like the government’s Budget, still leaves 350,000 job seekers older than 45 years out in the cold by failing to commit to increased Newstart payments, COTA Australia, said today.
Labor's Budget Reply will provide funding for cancer treatment and medicine, and a modest extra commitment to more aged care training places; but is missing in action on other key commitments for 8 million older Australians.
The issues identified in this submission impact many older Australians and the measures outlined here to address these issues have the potential to improve the lives of a large and growing proportion of Australians.
On the one year anniversary of the Tune Review Report into aged care being handed to government, COTA Australia, is calling for the government to set out a clear timetable by the end of this year for when and how remaining recommendations of the report will be implemented.
The 2017 Federal Budget has some good measures for older Australians in the areas of health, housing and mature age employment but missed the opportunity to provide better support for older people with poor oral or dental health.
COTA is putting forward recommendations for action in the 2012-2013 Budget across eight key areas: aged support and care, ageism and age discrimination, housing, reducing the digital divide, essential services, health and income support and workforce participation.