Greens pledge $260 million for home care

The Australian Greens are committed to investing millions of dollars into home care funded by a wealth tax as part of their election policy.

The Australian Greens are committed to investing millions of dollars into home care funded by a wealth tax as part of their election policy.

David Shoebridge

Last week, the party launched its aged care policy, Aged Care for All, where it said it would invest $260 million to keep the home care package waiting list clear.

“Many people want to receive care at home and don’t want to be forced into residential aged care prematurely,” the policy states.

“Too many people continue to experience unacceptable wait times for homecare at their approved level.

“The Greens will invest $260 million over the forward estimates to ensure no one waits more than 30 days to receive their approved homecare packages.”

Phasing out for-profit providers

The policy also includes a commitment to ensure that aged care is provided on a not-for-profit basis and the Greens will phase out for-profit aged care providers.

“Currently, there’s not enough care for older people in our community,” the policy said.

“We have an ageing population, big corporations are making millions, and the treatment isn’t good enough. Aged care should not be run for profit.”

In a statement, Greens leader Adam Bandt said “big corporations are making over a billion dollars a year in profits in aged care”.

“The public shouldn’t be buying Maseratis for aged care corporate executives… aged care shouldn’t be run for profit. It should be run for people.

“Big corporations are profiting from the misery of the elderly, and it has to stop. By clawing back big corporate profits, we can give our elders the quality of life they deserve.”

“The Greens will invest $260 million over the forward estimates to ensure no one waits more than 30 days to receive their approved homecare packages.”

‘Billionaire’s tax’

The Greens unveiled their aged care policy initiative on the NSW mid-north coast last week, announcing the party would provide the sector with an additional $6 billion a year on top of the federal government’s $18.8 billion royal commission response package, funded by a ‘billionaire’s tax’.

In a Facebook video recorded at the NSW town of Bulahdelah at the launch, NSW Senate candidate David Shoebridge said the extra money would be invested in – among other things – small, not-for profit facilities.

“(This is) so people can age in place in small towns like this,” he said in the video.

The Greens are also pledging to:

  • increase hours of care from an average two hours and 50 minutes of care per resident per day to four hours and 18 minutes per resident per day
  • introduce staff-to-resident ratios to ensure the best quality care
  • increase wages for aged care workers by 25 per cent and improve conditions and training
  • guarantee a human rights-based approach to aged care, underpinned by a new Aged Care Act 
  • end physical and chemical restraints
  • improve transparency and accountability

The extra $6 billion a year earmarked for the sector would be funded by an annual extra six per cent wealth tax on Australia’s billionaires.

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Tags: adam-bandt, featured, Federal-election-2022, greens, home-care,

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