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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 8 Hansard (20 August) . . Page.. 2966 ..

The Assembly voted-

Ayes 5

Noes 11

Mrs Burke

Mr Berry

Ms MacDonald

Mr Cornwell

Mr Corbell

Mr Quinlan

Mrs Dunne

Mrs Cross

Mr Stanhope

Mr Smyth

Ms Dundas

Ms Tucker

Mr Stefaniak

Ms Gallagher

Mr Wood

Mr Hargreaves

Question so resolved in the negative.

Electoral Amendment Bill 2002

Debate resumed from 6 March 2002, on motion by Ms Tucker:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

Debate (on motion by Mr Hargreaves ) adjourned to the next sitting.

Older Canberrans

MR CORNWELL (5.34): I move:

That this Assembly expresses its grave concern at the Government's lack of commitment to addressing the needs of Older Canberrans, particularly through the provision of aged care facilities and calls on the Government to:

(1) give priority to aged care facility applications in planning policies and processes;

(2) be proactive by listing twelve potential sites for future aged care facilities so that applications for Commonwealth funding for beds can be expedited;

(3) plan a Step-Down facility for southern Canberra;

(4) improve the location, frequency and quantum of respite care places.

Mr Speaker, this problem of the crisis in aged care accommodation was discovered, at least by the media, about six weeks ago, though it has been around for much longer than that. It seemed, therefore, timely to raise the debate this first week we are back from our winter recess because I maintain that nothing has changed in terms of the crisis that is facing aged care in this territory, except perhaps that the numbers on the waiting list have increased. Indeed, I think we have a situation that I can correctly call a crisis.

Let me give you the facts. These are from newspapers. The ACT has a target of 1,699 aged care places but only 1,525 actual places. There is a shortfall of 174, and a further 201 phantom places approved by the Commonwealth are yet to be built. We have more phantom aged care beds, Mr Speaker, than Floriade has flowerbeds, I would suggest.

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