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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 05 Hansard (Friday, 14 May 2004) . . Page.. 1999 ..

Mr Corbell has advised me in an answer to a question that that figure is yet to be established. Maybe this is what the liaison officer can do—count the waiting list. That is what it is for: the liaison officer can count the waiting list. As we know, of course, this government has done hardly anything to rectify the current crisis in aged care by ensuring that the 255 beds already funded by the Commonwealth can be built and therefore filled. In fact, the majority of these beds have been funded and housed two years ago.

Not for the first time do I cite the Little Company of Mary’s unbuilt facility at Bruce as a major example of the ineptitude of this government to progress aged-care developments through the planning system in the ACT. Instead of helping to remove the hurdles confronting the approval of this urgently needed 100-bed 86-unit facility it seems more and more hurdles are continually being placed in its way, with no real assistance from the government at all. In fact, it was reported in the media over the weekend that there could be even further delays to prevent this project getting off the ground—perhaps another 18 months. This will make the project at least four years overdue.

It is one thing for the government to release and allocate land for future aged-care development but another to ensure they are not held up by bureaucratic red tape in the planning system. It is apparent that the long-term delays within the planning system are the major contributing factor to these aged-care beds not being housed, so it is good to see provided in the budget funding of $350,000 over two years for a reform of the planning system. Personally I think I could do it a lot cheaper. Again, however, it is too little too late for the aged-care system. We see nothing in the budget to show that there are going to be any radical improvements or funding specifically targeted at enhancing and fast-tracking development approvals for aged-care providers.

What else do we see in this year’s budget for our ageing Canberrans? It is actually what we do not see that has the most impact on our community. There is no funding in this budget for the ACT government to provide matching funds for the Commonwealth’s offer of reciprocal transport concessions for seniors. This should not be surprising, however, given that the Chief Minister has so far declined to sign the reciprocal transport agreement with the Commonwealth. Based on the lack of funding provided for this program in this budget or the out years, nor does he intend to take up, we presume, the Commonwealth’s offer in the future.

Also missing in this budget is funding to provide for off-peak pensioner transport concessions to be allowed during peak hours. These are some of the most in need, Mr Treasurer. This was a 2001 ACT Labor Party election promise but it has not been fulfilled. Peak hour transport concessions are mentioned in the government’s recently released sustainable transport plan but there is no timeframe or financial commitment in that plan for these concessions—just a one-line statement. So our seniors have been let down again. We must be thankful, however, that the Commonwealth government, at least, has continued its commitment to aged care with increased major spending announced in its 2004 budget.

In relation to the general population, in the urban services portfolio we see examples of increased expenditure for lesser outcomes and unfortunate omissions for much-needed funding. There is funding for the maintenance of community paths. An estimated

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