(a) 222 places

(b) 239 places

(5) Cross border usage of ACT resources is monitored by the Government across a number of service delivery areas. With regards to residential aged care facilities, neither the ACT Government nor the Commonwealth are able to influence which residents are accepted by aged care facilities within the ACT. Consideration of cross border usuage can be undertaken through the Aged Care Planning Advisory Committee who advise the Commonwealth on aged care allocations. As part of this process the Committee will be considering the adequacy of the Commonwealth benchmarks in meeting demand for aged care services in the ACT.

(6) (a) The ACT Government is actively working to increase the number of operational places in the ACT that have been allocated by the Commonwealth Government. Applications for land releases are considered in the wider context of the community including consideration of public interest and the classification of areas as urban open space. The Government is looking at ways to make this process quicker. Current applications being considered include land around Lake Ginninderra and near Calvary Hospital.

(b) As indicated in response number (5) decisions to accept clients to residential aged care are made at the discretion of aged care facilities. The recourse available for the Government to address resource availability in the ACT is through the Aged Care Planning Advisory Committee, and other formal groups such as the Aged Care Officials Group, Australian Health Ministers' Conference, and Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council. Ensuring that there are enough places to meet demand in the ACT is a high priority for the ACT Government and other jurisdictions.