Buckingham will lobby for Neerim aged care funds
ALP candidate Chris Buckingham has guaranteed he will lobby for improved aged care facilities at Neerim District Health Service, saying it was time the federal government “feels the love” for this community facility.
If elected, the ALP has said it will provide opportunities so communities in McMillan become age-friendly.
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care Helen Polley said rural townships like Neerim South were perfect candidates to become age-friendly.
Sen Polley visited Neerim District Soldier’s Memorial Hospital to discuss the ALP’s policy and what it could mean for aged care services at Neerim South.
Neerim District Health Service chief executive Jacqui Brown was quick to point out the desperate and overdue need to upgrade and expand facilities at Neerim South to enable ageing residents to continue living in their community.
NDHS was unsuccessful in obtaining a $5 million grant that would have redeveloped aged care facilities and built a new eight bed dementia wing.
Ms Brown said it was the third time the health service had been “knocked back.”
Sen Polley said the government’s response that applications were not up to standard for funding was a “cop out.”
She said dementia care was a huge issue and the ALP was committed to meeting the needs of regional communities.
Mr Buckingham guaranteed he was well aware of the need to inject funds into capital improvements and expanded services at Neerim South.
“This facility is loved by its community and it’s time for the federal government to step up and feel the love.
“This is bricks and mortar but it is the core of our community,” he said.
Mr Buckingham said age-friendly communities needed appropriate aged care services.
“Labor understands that regional communities like Neerim South feel this Liberal government has abandoned them,” Mr Buckingham said.
“The Neerim District Health Services has been trying to get aged care allocations for the past three years but have been knocked back because Canberra bureaucrats do not understand rural and regional communities.
“It is unfair to expect local older people to move away from their communities, friends and families because this Liberal government does not want to invest in towns like Neerim South.
The ALP said it would appoint a Minister for Ageing and develop a national strategy for an ageing Australia to ensure Australia becomes an age-friendly nation.
Sen Polley said unlike the Liberal government, Labor believed the ageing population provided terrific opportunities for the nation.
“The Liberal government has treated aged care like an ATM, ripping over $3 billion from this vital area in less than three years.
“An age friendly nation begins with a government prepared to invest in services to support older Australians,” she said.
Sen Polley said the ALP would conduct an audit to determine where aged care needs and demands were in the community.
“What we want to see is an investment not only by the federal government but we want to work with state and local governments to change what’s happening in aged care.
“Ageing should not be seen as a burden,” she said.
New Fire Services Property Levies to apply from July 1 were gazetted by the State Treasurer Tim Pallas last week.
In an accompanying media release Mr Pallas said the fee on average valued residential properties in areas served by the Country Fire Authority "is likely to remain the same (as last year) at $158".
An additional fixed charge on residences adjusted in line with CPI will increase in country areas by $1 to $105.
Residences in metropolitan areas served by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade will pay an average of $9 less in the FSL, down to $151.
The media release made no mention of the levy on other types of properties but reveal higher increases in the variable rates calculated on a cents per $ capital improved value (CIV) basis for commercial, industrial and vacant non-residential land in country areas.
There is a small decrease from 27.7c to 26c per $1000 on the value of primary production enterprises.
The variable rates decreased in all categories in the metropolitan area.
The FSPL based on property values was introduced by the previous State Government in 2014-2015, replacing a levy based on individual property insurance premiums.
The FSPL and fixed charges are now included as extras on local government rate notices and paid to the government by councils.
Member for Narracan Gary Blackwood said that since the election of the State Labor Government two years ago residential owners were paying, on average, an extra 15 per cent.
He said in 2014-2015 the levy on residential properties in CFA areas was 10.9c per $1000. Next financial year it will be 12.8c. Mr Blackwood said the news was even worse for owners of commercial, industrial and vacant non-residential property in CFA areas.
He said that over the two years the commercial rate will have risen from 88c to 104.7c and industrial from 132 to 165c.
"Rates for vacant (excluding residential) land will skyrocket from 10.9c in 2014-2015 to 49c, a 350 per cent increase," Mr Blackwood said.
Mr Pallas said the initial FSPL set by the previous government was too low.
He said all revenue collected by the levies supported the state's fire services and account for 87.5 per cent of the MFB budget and 77.5 per cent of the CFA budget.
Mr Pallas described the increases as a "fair adjustment" to give firefighters the funding they need to protect Victorian homes and lives.