Last Friday in Darwin, Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells promised $60 million to build a 120-bed aged care facility in Palmerston, 20km west of the city centre.
The pledge is one of few announcements on aged care we've heard from Labor since the 3 May election was called. But it is not new funding for the sector.
The Palmerston aged care facility has been in the planning for some time. Last June we reported the NT Government had put $12 million towards an aged care facility in Palmerston and was seeking Federal Government support.
The $60 million is being delivered through the Aged Care Capital Assistance Program, which currently has up to $300 million available for regional, rural and remote providers, or metro providers for specialised groups or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, to fund residential aged care infrastructure or staff accommodation projects.
In total, the Government has made $966.5 million available through the Aged Care Capital Assistance Program over the four years to 30 June 2028.
Darwin is experiencing a severe shortage of aged care beds. In February, we reported in SATURDAY there were 96 patients in hospital identified as suitable for aged care but unable to find a bed, with wait times of up to six months.
The NT Government is now seeking an operator for the home.
The Federal Government's decision to allocate the funding to the Palmerston project was made prior to the Government entering caretaker mode.
