Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services
Minister for Sport
The Morrison Government will direct $14.8 million to key aged care groups advocating for senior Australians.
This funding will be provided over three years to ensure the organisations can continue supporting and advocating for older people during a period of significant change and reform of the aged care system.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said the funding would ensure the voices of senior Australians across a number of diverse communities.
"We are undertaking once in a generation reform of the aged care sector," Minister Colbeck said.
"As we work towards a high quality and safe aged care system, we must have a deep understanding of the views, the wishes and the concerns of our diverse communities.
"It is vital that people with dementia, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, LGBTQI+ individuals and communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, gerontologists and associated health professionals continue to be well represented.
"The Government is pleased to provide this funding to ensure peak bodies can continue to represent their constituents and support the highest quality of policy and program design."
The aged care consumer peak bodies being funded from 1 July 2022 are:
- The Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA)
- Dementia Australia (DA)
- National Seniors Australia (NSA)
- LGBTIQ+ Health Australia (LHA)
- The Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG)
- COTA Australia
- The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), acting on behalf of the National Advisory Group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care (NAGATSIAC).
Funding will also support the establishment of a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing and Aged Care Council (NATSIACC) to formalise representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in aged care.
