Thursday, 18 April 2024

Members statements

Aged care

Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (10:17): I rise to speak about our fantastic public aged care facilities here in the north of the state. Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting five of our regional public sector residential aged care services: Dianella hostel in Kilmore, Grutzner House in Shepparton, Pioneers lodge in Numurkah, Banawah Nursing Home in Nathalia and Glanville Village right here in Echuca. Our government has a long and proud history of delivering public sector aged care beds, especially in rural and regional areas. Ninety per cent of our PSRACS are in rural and regional Victoria and provide local access to residential aged care places, and in many locations they are the only service in town.

We are continuing to invest in improving these local facilities. As part of the 2023–24 budget we are delivering three new public sector residential aged care facilities that are modern and dementia friendly and that support residents with complex care needs. This investment includes funding for two new facilities locally: $41.1 million for a 24-bed, co-located facility at Cohuna District Hospital and $54.3 million for a 36-bed facility at Numurkah hospital campus. It was an absolute pleasure to speak with staff at Numurkah yesterday about this investment and what it will mean for those residents in that community. I could not be prouder of the work that they do.