With Western Australia headed to the polls on 8 March, Premier Roger Cook has announced a $140 million aged care sweetener, including a $100 million low-interest loan facility to help providers build or refurbish aged care facilities for concessional customers or in areas of need.
"Our $140 million package includes initiatives to expand facilities, deliver more aged care beds, improve health outcomes for older Western Australians and alleviate pressure on the State’s health system," said Premier Cook.
The WA Labor Party also promised:
- the establishment of 'Integrated Older Adult Care Hubs' offering access to GPs, palliative care, and dementia services
- the state's first Dementia Action Plan to support those living with dementia and their families, and
- a $5 million grant and $10 million low-interest loan for Sister Kate's Aged Care Facility, with 90-100 beds, in Queens Park, a suburb of Perth, which also received $25 million under the Federal Government's Aged Care Capital Assistance Program.
The $100 million loan scheme will, if Labor is elected, provide funding to expand existing facilities and refurbish unused facilities to bring them back online, and is intended to deliver up to 500 new concessional aged care beds.
In a statement, WA Not For Profit aged care provider Juniper welcomed the election promise.
Juniper CEO Russell Bricknell said, “Across Western Australia, right now, demand for residential aged care is extremely high with very few vacancies.
"During December 2024 across the greater Perth metro region, Juniper had eight vacant beds out of a total 850 beds.
"According to Ernst & Young modelling for the WA Department of Health, by 2029 the gap in Perth metropolitan area is estimated to be between 1400 and 2800 beds, requiring 15 to 30 new residential aged care homes.
“With current residential facilities across Australia running at a loss, barely breaking even and certainly not near the 10 percent return required to justify a new investment, providers have been in a position where they simply can’t justify building new facilities.
"This is especially true in Western Australia with construction costs the highest in the country, with the cost of building at around $500,000 per bed.
“We call on bipartisan support on this important commitment to ensure that in the future that we can care for older Western Australians."
