The economic powerhouse often ignored

THE

Tasmanian election campaign featured a number of controversial and divisive issues that were hotly debated and received significant attention, including poker machines in our community, gun ownership and school funding.

But one thing all parties and politicians agreed on was the importance of jobs and the economy to Tasmania and its future.

This importance was confirmed by the Liberal Party when Treasurer Peter Gutwein issued a media release (one of the re-elected Government’s first following the election) spruiking how well the Tasmanian economy was performing based on Australian Bureau of Statistics figures.

In the statement Mr Gutwein said the Tasmanian economy was the third strongest in Australia, behind only Victoria and South Australia.

During the campaign, much was made of the contribution various industries make to the economy, and significant funding promises were made for these industries based on the benefits they deliver. This investment is important and I support it.

But there was no discussion about the economic contribution the disability and age care sector makes to the economy.

According to a Deloitte Access Economics report, aged care providers make a $17.6 billion economic contribution to Australia, representing 1.1 per cent of GDP by producing outputs, employing people and through buying goods and services.

The direct economic component is akin to the contribution of residential building construction, sheep, grains, beef and dairy cattle industries.

In Tasmania, while there is no specific research on which to rely, the largest eight notfor-profit organisations in the sector, of which Community Based Support is one, employ more than 2300 people, turning over more than $127 million annually.

Given the not-for-profit status of these enterprises, this money is reinvested straight into the Tasmanian economy, while at the same time is changing lives and keeping people living independently.

This is particularly the case with Community Based Support’s aged care and disability services which are delivered to Tasmanians who are looking for support to help them to stay living independently at home.

Essentially, we are committed to assisting older Tasmanians and people with disability to live at home independently, but with support if necessary.

Keeping people healthy and living at home under our model is almost certainly saving the state’s health budget.

We know that most of us want to live in our own home for as long as possible when we get older and we have found appropriate home-based care options can have many benefits for both our ageing clients and their primary caregivers.

The significant contribution this sector brings — and has the potential to bring to the Tasmanian economy — is a message our politicians have received over the past six months, and will continue to receive now that the state election has been run and won.

Our sector would welcome state government investment that other industries have benefited from and are set to receive over the next four years.

It is absolutely time for a discussion about what that funding support would look like.

There is no question that the aged care sector is a growth sector in Tasmania that will require an estimated 4000additional nurses and care workers in the next five or so years. Murray Coates is chief executive of Community Based Support.