Page 1152 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 3 May 2006
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back to that issue, which is clearly under the control of the federal government, about what the employers are doing. The Australian government have invested some $150 million since 2002 in practical work force initiatives designed to improve access to education and training opportunities for the aged care work force.
Some comments were made earlier about the increasing level of acuity amongst our aged. The federal government have acknowledged that as well and they have gone out and made sure that there is money available to assist the sector in meeting those needs. The sector and its work force need to be responsive to the needs for change.
If Ms Porter is serious about this whole issue, I am sure that when she gets up to close the debate she will tell us what her government has been doing. I am sure that she will tell us that they have been doing a good job, but the reality is that at the local level there is still much the ACT government can do. They have been dragged kicking and screaming to the position where they have now established their land bank, which is a reasonable thing, but let us look at other initiatives and other things that we can do to make sure that we look after ageing ACT residents in place for as long as possible—a lot of that would therefore be through community care, for which the minister is responsible—so that we have adequate programs there and that they are adequately staffed and funded, and at the same time that we have a much more effective, efficient and delivery-focused program of land delivery and approvals for aged care facilities of all types.
That is something that has not been successful, given the process at Calvary, which took almost five years. It took St Andrew 2½ years to get approval on its block of land. It took Goodwin Village in our electorate of Monash, Mr Deputy Speaker, more than two years to get access to its land. I think that there is a little bit more that the ACT government should be doing to make sure that aged care facilities come on line quicker and at as cheap a cost as possible so that they actually do spend the money on the staff, which I think we all acknowledge is a problem.
I certainly will do my bit. I will continue to talk to aged care facility providers. I talk a lot to the staff and the staff are to be congratulated. They are motivated and they do a fantastic job. I think we have all got to work together at all levels of government to ensure that we put in place wages and processes that keep them there.
MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Business and Economic Development, Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Minister for the Arts) (5.14): I wish to respond to just one of the issues raised by the Leader of the Opposition in his presentation, that is, the issue of the preparations by this government to ensure the seamless provision of land for aged care facilities.
I start my response to those remarks by the Leader of the Opposition by reminding members of the Assembly that in the seven long years of Liberal government 14 aged care beds were delivered. You did not mishear me. In seven years of Liberal government, there were delivered to the people of the ACT 14—10 plus four—aged care beds.
Mr Hargreaves: Two a year.
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