Yesterday our Editor Lauren Broomham and I spent 90 minutes with Senator Richard Colbeck, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services in his office in Devonport, discussing last week’s Budget and the Government’s vision for older Australians.
Minister Colbeck, with a career in business and building in particular, had a clear understanding of the reform journey the Government and his Department has commenced.
We asked if there is a significant role for retirement villages and he was quick to firmly respond “yes, absolutely”.
All mechanisms for providing care support in the home that results in better outcomes for older people are within his areas of interest.
We handed him research material from our National Resident Survey, demonstrating the positive mental, financial and physical benefits to older people joining a retirement village and the economic contribution the village sector delivers in New Zealand.
The issue of Federal versus State legislation and regulation responsibility was discussed. He made the point that behind-the-scenes significant headway is being made with two levels of Governments working together. The Government supports recommendation 4 from the Royal Commission.
The opportunity for the retirement village sector to play a significantly bigger role is real.
Learn more from a wide-ranging conversation in this week’s edition of SATURDAY, in your inbox at 6am Saturday morning.
