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“Legislated to make a loss”: Resthaven CEO Darren Birbeck calls for urgent action on aged care funding

The CEO of the South Australian Not For Profit has warned the Federal Government that aged care providers are being “legislated to make a loss” under current reforms, in his contribution to The Weekly SOURCE’s political wishlist series ahead of the 3 May Federal Election.

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Home Care

$1.3M awarded, $18.7M left untouched: home care sector slams aged care IT grant rollout

Just 119 of Australia’s 1,600 home care providers have received funding under the Federal Government’s Aged Care Act Transition Support 2024–25 grant program, according to data published on GrantConnect.

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Development

Gold Coast site approved for 130-bed aged care home for sale through receivers

The nearly 9,000sqm site in Parkwood, 5km from the heart of the Gold Coast, is owned by SDA Property’s No 4 Pty Ltd, which has gone into administration.

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Mergers & Acquisitions

Opal HealthCare acquires Cranbrook Care’s five aged care homes

Australia’s largest residential aged care provider has acquired five aged care homes from private operator Cranbrook Care, located in Kanwal on the NSW Central Coast, and Kellyville, Neutral Bay, Abbotsford and Bella Vista in Sydney.

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Development

NoosaCare tests high-end market with Kabara aged care home expansion, with further plans

Not For Profit aged care operator NoosaCare has opened a six-bed extension and upgrade at its Kabara aged care home in Cooroy, 125km north of Brisbane, with larger rooms with premium outlooks commanding RADs of $830,000, “evidence” to CEO Grant Simpson there is demand for high-end rooms.

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Aged Care

Not For Profit Scalabrini will invest $750,000 in Aged Care Industry Labour Agreements in FY25 as 90 staff become permanent residents

Scalabrini CEO Richard de Haast and members of the board attended an afternoon tea earlier this month as the Not For Profit celebrated more than 70 of its staff becoming permanent residents of Australia, thanks to the Federal Government’s Aged Care Industry Labour Agreements.

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Labor’s $60M promise for NT aged care is not new money for the sector

Last Friday, Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells promised $60 million to build a 120-bed aged care facility in Palmerston, 20km west of the Darwin city centre, with the funding delivered through the Aged Care Capital Assistance Program.

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Nationals leader promises fund with plan to tackle regional aged care workforce shortages

Nationals leader David Littleproud announced if the Coalition comes to power it will form a Regional Australia Future Fund targeting growing the regional aged care workforce, and promised funding for two aged care homes in his Maranoa electorate: $8M for a facility in Winton and $6M to expand a Barcaldine home.

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Technology

Amplar Health signs $1M deal with Visionflex for aged care virtual nursing pilot

The Medibank-owned innovator Amplar Health has signed a deal with ASX-listed telehealth firm Visionflex to provide software and hardware for the virtual nursing trial being conducted across 30 Australian aged care homes, commencing in July 2025 with five sites.

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Mergers & Acquisitions

Vacant Mercy Health facility in Newport, Melbourne, sells for $154K per bed

The 37-bed aged care home in Newport, 7km southwest of the Melbourne CBD, has been acquired from Not For Profit Mercy Health for $5.7 million.

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Aged Care Minister Anika Wells’ Brisbane 4BC radio interview turned to farce

“The theme of these questions is that the system’s impenetrable,“ said Aged Care Minister Anika Wells in an interview on 4BC radio with Peter Fegan about aged care.

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Aged Care

Only in SATURDAY: after their historic win, what’s next for the unions on aged care?

The unions were successful in their fight for a 25% wage increase for aged care workers – but their fight is not over. What does the Health Services Union have in mind next for aged care? To find out, read SATURDAY.

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