OLDER AUSTRALIANS ABANDONED - FLOW ON TO LOCAL CONSTITUENTS
The Member for Berowra, Philip Ruddock MP said that actions speak louder than words and the Rudd Government’s actions had fully reinforced her suspicions that as far as this Government is concerned older Australians don’t count – that means local constituents.
“The first sign that something was amiss with the Rudd Government’s priorities was when it would not commit to the pensioners’ and carers’ bonus earlier in the year which caused a great deal of anxiety in the community,” Mr Ruddock said.
“This sense of insecurity was compounded when aged care was not an agenda item at the 2020 Summit and only one per cent of delegates to the summit were aged 75 plus.
“This rejection of older Australians is glaring given that they are a significant group of people who make up over 13% of the Australian population and over the next forty years this is projected to rise to 25%.
“Then two days before the Budget was handed down, the Government back-flipped on a cut to aged care funding because of prolonged pressure brought by Aged Care Associations, providers and families.
“Forty per cent of providers are operating in the red and a cut to funding would have sent many providers to the wall.
“For the Government to consider a cut to aged care funding in this environment should send a shiver down everyone’s spine, because we’re all ageing; we all have family members and friends who may enter an aged care facility at some time in their lives.