❓ Ms. Brewer questions the lack of funding for aged care in the current budget compared to funding for a racetrack. Minister McGurk defends the government's approach, citing election commitments and the need for a proper statutory framework and consultation with aged-care providers before allocating funds.
AnsweredQoN 366Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Health—Aged-care beds—Low-interest loans
366. Ms Sandra Brewer to
the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors:
I have a
supplementary question. Is it not the case that there are zero dollars in this
year's budget for the initiative, yet there is $217 million allocated for a
racetrack at Burswood?
366. Ms Sandra Brewer to
the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors:
I have a
supplementary question. Is it not the case that there are zero dollars in this
year's budget for the initiative, yet there is $217 million allocated for a
racetrack at Burswood?
AnswerView source ↗
We understand that
when we are loaning or allocating money, we need to do it properly. We made an
election commitment. After the election, once we were elected—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition!
Ms Simone McGurk: Once we were elected, we needed to
ensure that we had the right statutory framework around those loans. We are
doing that, but it is important that we are consulting the aged-care providers to
which we will be loaning the money. I mentioned the $140 million commitment. We
have talked about $100 million for the low-interest loan facility, which the
sector is very supportive of and pleased about. Members will have heard it make
public comments about that. The other part of the component is, for instance,
money towards Sister Kate's Children's Home, which Aboriginal stakeholders will
be—
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Vasse!
Ms Simone McGurk: Aboriginal stakeholders will be
developing that with Hall & Prior. I had a visit out to Hall & Prior's
Windsor facility recently, and it will be a fantastic facility. It is doing its
development applications at the moment. That money will be released in due
course when Hall & Prior needs it. That is how government works. You do the
work to make sure that there is proper—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Vasse!
Ms Simone McGurk: You do the work to make sure that
wherever those loans or grants or money is going, it will be received properly,
and I think that the aged-care providers will be well placed to put their
tenders in—
Ms Sandra Brewer interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe, you have asked the
question. The minister is responding.
Ms Simone McGurk: —towards the end of this
year, and for the tenders to be awarded early next year.
when we are loaning or allocating money, we need to do it properly. We made an
election commitment. After the election, once we were elected—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition!
Ms Simone McGurk: Once we were elected, we needed to
ensure that we had the right statutory framework around those loans. We are
doing that, but it is important that we are consulting the aged-care providers to
which we will be loaning the money. I mentioned the $140 million commitment. We
have talked about $100 million for the low-interest loan facility, which the
sector is very supportive of and pleased about. Members will have heard it make
public comments about that. The other part of the component is, for instance,
money towards Sister Kate's Children's Home, which Aboriginal stakeholders will
be—
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Vasse!
Ms Simone McGurk: Aboriginal stakeholders will be
developing that with Hall & Prior. I had a visit out to Hall & Prior's
Windsor facility recently, and it will be a fantastic facility. It is doing its
development applications at the moment. That money will be released in due
course when Hall & Prior needs it. That is how government works. You do the
work to make sure that there is proper—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Vasse!
Ms Simone McGurk: You do the work to make sure that
wherever those loans or grants or money is going, it will be received properly,
and I think that the aged-care providers will be well placed to put their
tenders in—
Ms Sandra Brewer interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe, you have asked the
question. The minister is responding.
Ms Simone McGurk: —towards the end of this
year, and for the tenders to be awarded early next year.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.