Description:
Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith today announced the appointment of Roger Valentine OAM as National Chairperson for the Aged Care Complaints Resolution Committees.

Date: 27/8/1998
Title: Playgroups provide positive opportunities for children

Description:
The benefits of playgroups for children and their carers will be promoted across the country with $1 million from the Federal Government this year, Family Services Minister Warwick Smith said today.

Date: 26/8/1998
Title: Safe At Home: a care trial for 500 older Australians

Description:
The Federal Government is providing $500,000 to trial an emergency monitoring service with 500 frail older Australians living at home.

Date: 24/8/1998
Title: Fixing the problems of aged care

Description:
Today's front-page article in the 'Age' demonstrates the very real concerns that the Government has been trying to fix in aged care since March 1996.

Date: 20/8/1998
Title: Nursing home residents and the New Tax System

Description:
The Federal Government has always intended to compensate pensioners in full for the GST, including pensioners who live in nursing homes and hostels.

Date: 19/8/1998
Title: Tasmanian home and community care services gain funding growth

Description:
Frail aged people, younger people with a disability, and their carers in Tasmania will benefit from additional funds of more than $1.1 million announced today by the Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith.

Date: 18/8/1998
Title: Federal funds to assist homeless aged in the Hunter

Description:
Frail older people in the Hunter region who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, will get improved access to accommodation and care, with the announcement today of $2.44 million in Federal Government funds to set up a new aged care facility.

Date: 18/8/1998
Title: Boost for Tasmanian dementia services

Description:
Services for people with dementia and their carers will benefit from a grant of $31,150 to employ a project officer with psychogeriatric experience and training, Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith said today.

Date: 12/8/1998
Title: Boost for nursing homes and hostels in regional Australia

Description:
The Federal Government has announced a $4 million Uniting in Care in Regional Australia fund to encourage nursing home and hostel operators in rural and regional Australia to examine the potential for co-locations and the combining of operations to provide the full range of aged care services.

Date: 12/8/1998
Title: $600,000 funding boost for innovative nursing home group in Melbourne

Description:
The Federal Government has announced additional funding of up to $600,000 for a group of six formerly independent nursing home operators in Melbourne.

Date: 12/8/1998
Title: Aged care resident classification scale review

Description:
Family Services Minister Warwick Smith today issued the final report of the independent review into the Resident Classification Scale (RCS), the instrument used to allocate funding to residents in aged care facilities.

Date: 12/8/1998
Title: Building a better future for aged care

Description:
Nursing homes and hostels across Australia will benefit from initiatives announced by Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith today.

Date: 12/8/1998
Title: Government cuts red tape for nursing home developments

Description:
The Federal Government has announced further assistance for nursing home and hostel operators to improve the quality and viability of their accommodation and services.

Date: 11/8/1998
Title: Government legislates for quality aged care

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services Warwick Smith today amended legislative principles to ensure the provision of nursing services for residents of Commonwealth funded aged care facilities.

Date: 10/8/1998
Title: Complex suicide problems require a range of responses

Description:
Youth suicide prevention is a serious and complex problem that requires a range of responses from Governments and all sectors of the community.

Date: 2/8/1998
Title: Federal government supports special aged care services

Description:
The Federal Government has announced a special $2 million funding initiative to assist Victorian Bush Nursing Hospitals to continue to provide care for older rural Australians.

Date: 1/8/1998
Title: An Australia for all ages: 1999 International Year of Older Persons

Description:
Australians will have a unique opportunity to celebrate the diversity, richness and contribution of older people to our community in the 1999 International Year of Older Persons.

Date: 31/7/1998
Title: Labor uses nurses and the elderly for political ends

Description:
Labor's attempt to use the elderly and their carers as political pawns has again been exposed by the actions of their spokesperson on aged care, Jenny Macklin.

Date: 23/7/1998
Title: Community support for International Year of Older Persons

Description:
A new business and community partnership will encourage all Australians to participate in 1999: International Year of Older Persons through Australian Coalition '99, a network of community organisations and private sector companies.

Date: 23/7/1998
Title: Supporting families to reduce suicide rate

Description:
The Federal Government's push to support families and reduce the high rate of youth suicide took a new direction today with Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith announcing a $3 million funding package for a national parenting initiative.

Date: 22/7/1998
Title: $20 million to improve care for older Australians

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services Warwick Smith has announced 100 grants to nursing homes and hostels across Australia totalling $20 million to improve building and safety standards.

Date: 22/7/1998
Title: Ballarat aged care to be upgraded

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services Warwick Smith announced today that a number of aged care providers would have their circumstances referred to the Technical Reference Group on Industry Restructuring (TRG) following the recent application round for capital support from the Commonwealth under the Residential Aged Care Grants Scheme.

Date: 16/7/1998
Title: New board members for Family Studies Institute

Description:
Dame Margaret Guilfoyle has been re-appointed to the Board of the Australian Institute of Family Studies and four new members appointed, Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith announced today.

Date: 14/7/1998
Title: More aged care services for older people in Victoria

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, today released the latest statistical outcomes for aged care services in Victoria.

Date: 14/7/1998
Title: More aged care services for older people in Tasmania

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, today released the latest statistical outcomes for aged care services in Tasmania.

Date: 14/7/1998
Title: More aged care services for older people in Queensland

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, today released the latest statistical outcomes for aged care services in Queensland.

Date: 14/7/1998
Title: More aged care services for older Territorians

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith today released the latest statistical outcomes for aged care services in the Northern Territory.

Date: 14/7/1998
Title: Aged care services for more older Australians

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, today released the latest statistical evidence on Australia's aged care system.

Date: 14/7/1998
Title: More aged care services for older people in the ACT

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, today released the latest statistical outcomes for aged care services in the ACT.

Date: 14/7/1998
Title: More aged care services for the older people of NSW

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, today released the latest statistical outcomes for aged care services in NSW.

Date: 14/7/1998
Title: More aged care services for older Western Australians

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith today released the latest statistical outcomes for aged care services in Western Australia.

Date: 14/7/1998
Title: More aged care services for older South Australians

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, today released the latest statistical outcomes for aged care services in South Australia.

Date: 8/7/1998
Title: Banking on better relationships with older Australians

Description:
Federal, state and territory governments will come together for the first time to address Australia's unacceptably high rate of youth suicide with the formation of a national council on youth suicide prevention, according to Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith.

Date: 6/7/1998
Title: National Advisory Council on Youth Suicide Prevention

Date: 3/7/1998
Title: Carr government misleads families on child care

Description:
Thousands more families in New South Wales will get help with the cost of holiday child care, contrary to Bob Carr's irresponsible claims this morning, Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, said today.

Date: 2/7/1998
Title: Aged care subsidy rates for 1998 - 1999 and Superannuation Guarantee Charge

Description:
Family Services Minister Warwick Smith today announced the indexed subsidies and supplements payable under the Aged Care Act 1997

Date: 2/7/1998
Title: Government addresses Australia's ageing society

Description:
In a move to address Australia's ageing population, the Federal Government has announced terms of reference to develop a National Strategy for an Ageing Australia.

Date: 1/7/1998
Title: Extra 500 aged care places worth a total of $5.7 million

Description:
More frail older people will be cared for in their own homes with 500 extra Community Aged Care Package places worth up to $5 million announced by Family Services Minister Warwick Smith today.

Date: 1/7/1998
Title: Major boost to carers allowance

Description:
Carers looking after people with high care needs at home are about to get a significant increase in Government financial support.

Date: 1/7/1998
Title: Provider subsidies to be tested

Description:
Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith today announced that an evaluation of the relative funding subsidies provided to nursing home providers throughout Australia is to be conducted by the Productivity Commission.

Date: 30/6/1998
Title: Reference group for joint ministerial meeting on disability needs

Description:
Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith has established a special reference group to advise him on strategic approaches to meet the needs of people with disabilities.

Date: 29/6/1998
Title: Good Beginnings builds stronger families and communities

Description:
A pilot parenting program, Good Beginnings, which helps parents raise healthier and happier children will receive an additional $700,000 in federal funding to continue its work.

Date: 28/6/1998
Title: Thousands of families to get help with holiday care costs

Description:
Thousands of families will get help with the cost of holiday child care, Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, announced today.

Date: 18/6/1998
Title: $300,000 boost for carer respite in NSW

Description:
Carers in some major population centres of New South Wales will have greater opportunities to take a break when needed as a result of a $297,751 funding boost to four Carer Respite Centres and four respite service providers.

Date: 18/6/1998
Title: $546,000 to support carers in rural and remote Queensland

Description:
Carers in the outback and far north of Queensland, including the Torres Strait Islands, will have better access to respite as a result of the establishment of locally based Carer Respite Centres in Longreach and Charleville and an outreach service.

Date: 18/6/1998
Title: Respite services expanded for Tasmania's carers

Description:
Carers in Tasmania will be helped with $56,121 for in-home respite services announced by Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith today.

Date: 18/6/1998
Title: Funding boost to help Cambodian carers in SA

Description:
An extra 65 carers of the frail aged and younger people with disabilties from Adelaide's Cambodian community will be able to receive respite care with a boost of $45,747 announced by Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith today.

Date: 16/6/1998
Title: Facts overlooked in Queensland child care debate

Description:
Submissions made to the Senate Inquiry into Child Care Funding in Brisbane today should be considered carefully in the light of all the facts, according to Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith.

Date: 15/6/1998
Title: Labor to return to operational subsidies

Description:
"The Labor Party, having supported the Government's changes to Outside School Hours Care through the Parliament, now want to take payments off families and return funding to services regardless of the needs of those families," Family Services Minister Warwick Smith said today.

Date: 11/6/1998
Title: Government support for healthy seniors

Description:
Older Australians are set to benefit from a series of grants announced by Family Services Minister Warwick Smith today as part of the Federal Government's Healthy Seniors Initiative.

Date: 10/6/1998
Title: $15 million for National Continence Management Strategy

Description:
Details of a National Continence Management Strategy were announced today by the Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith.

Date: 2/6/1998
Title: Federal funding boosts aged care services

Description:
Older Australians will have access to an increased range of residential care services following a boost of up to $50 million to the Federal Government's Aged Care Program.

Date: 29/5/1998
Title: Extra $4.1 million in child care assistance for NSW families

Description:
NSW families will be able to access almost 1000 more child care places, with a $4.1 million boost in Childcare Assistance announced today by Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith.

Date: 26/5/1998
Title: Federal government emergency assistance for giant steps

Description:
The Federal Member for Bass, Warwick Smith, announced today that the Federal Government had approved $65,000 in Short Term Emergency Assistance funding to Giants Steps Tasmania.

Date: 26/5/1998
Title: All states sign disability agreement

Description:
All States and the Northern Territory are now part of the second Commonwealth / State Disability Agreement.

Date: 26/5/1998
Title: $2.25 million for child care centre upgradings

Description:
Community based, long day child care centres will benefit from almost $2.25 million in grants for capital upgrading announced today by the Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith.

Date: 25/5/1998
Title: Deadline for backdated outside school hours care assistance

Description:
Families have until Friday to claim assistance for outside school hours care backdated to when the changes were implemented on 27 April, the Federal Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith, announced today.

Date: 22/5/1998
Title: Somerville child care centres

Description:
The Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, said today he was concerned to hear that four child care centres in Darwin and Palmerston had announced their impending closure.

Date: 21/5/1998
Title: Additional funding to assist nursing homes to improve quality

Description:
Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith announced grants of $1.5 million to help nursing homes to improve their quality of care and accommodation at the opening of the Australian Nursing Homes and Extended Care Association national conference in Melbourne today.

Date: 19/5/1998
Title: Classifying client needs to improve home and community care

Description:
A major report investigating the options for classifying Home and Community Care (HACC) client needs was issued today by the Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith.

Date: 18/5/1998
Title: Residential aged care building standards: the future

Description:
The future direction for building standards in residential aged care facilities has been spelled out by the Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, in an address to Aged Care Tasmania's annual conference.

Date: 15/5/1998
Title: International Day of Families

Description:
On the International Day of Families, Federal Family Services Minister Warwick Smith stressed the Government's commitment to supporting Australian families and respecting their role in the community.

Date: 15/5/1998
Title: Volunteers breathe life into community services

Description:
National Volunteer Week, 11-17 May, brings into sharp focus the invaluable contribution of the one-in-four Australians who undertake regular volunteer work, Federal Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith, said today.

Date: 14/5/1998
Title: $6.3 million for Queensland home and community care

Description:
Frail older people, young people with a disability and their carers will benefit from increased funding for Home and Community Care services throughout Queensland.

Date: 14/5/1998
Title: $7.6 million for NSW home and community care

Description:
People with disabilities, frail older people and their carers in NSW can look forward to improved access to care and support, with the announcement today of $7.6 million in Federal and NSW Government grants.

Date: 14/5/1998
Title: $1.1 million for WA home and community care

Description:
Services for WA's frail older people and younger people with disabilities will benefit from an extra $1.1 million in funding for services.

Date: 14/5/1998
Title: Home and community care funding for Northern Territory

Description:
Frail aged and younger people with disabilities in the Northern Territory will benefit from $286,000 increased funding under the Home and Community Care Program announced by the Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, and the Territory Minister for Health, Family and Children's Services, Denis Burke.

Date: 14/5/1998
Title: $3.2 million for Victorian home and community care

Description:
Victoria's frail older people, younger people with a disability and their carers will benefit from new funding for Home and Community Care services announced today.

Date: 13/5/1998
Title: Macklin is wrong on all counts about CRS

Description:
The Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service will not be partially privatised by 1999.

Date: 12/5/1998
Title: Record occupancy in aged care services in March

Description:
Occupancy rates in both nursing homes and hostels have reached record levels, the Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, said when issuing residential occupancy figures for aged care services for March 1998.

Date: 10/5/1998
Title: Australian Institute of Family Studies

Description:
The Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, today announced that Dame Margaret Guilfoyle DBE has been appointed presiding member of the Board of the Australian Institute of Family Studies for an interim period from 10 May 1998.

Date: 8/5/1998
Title: Disadvantaged secure access to aged care

Description:
The Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, today announced changes to concessional resident arrangements to improve flexibility and equitable access to residential aged care in light of new data showing strong industry performance.

Date: 6/5/1998
Title: New funding system for vacation care in Victoria

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, today announced a major change in the funding of vacation child care for Victorian school aged children.

Date: 1/5/1998
Title: Edge Employment Solutions open new premises

Description:
Western Australia's largest open employment service for people with disabilities was opened by Federal Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith, in Subiaco today.

Date: 29/4/1998
Title: Facts overlooked in child care debate

Description:
Submissions made to the Senate Inquiry into Child Care Funding in Adelaide today should be considered carefully in the light of all the facts, according to Federal Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith.

Date: 28/4/1998
Title: New child care places for Adelaide

Description:
Ten child care services providing care outside school hours will receive additional funding under the 1997-98 New Growth Strategy, the Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, announced today.

Date: 27/4/1998
Title: Disability Industry Reference Group announced

Description:
A reference group has been set up to monitor the implementation of the new assessment and referral service for job seekers with disabilities.

Date: 27/4/1998
Title: Child care changes to benefit more families

Description:
Australian families will benefit from major child care initiatives which commence today according to the Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith.

Date: 27/4/1998
Title: Purchasing program for the disabled to be examined

Description:
A United States preferential purchasing program to benefit workers with a disability will be examined by a review group to consider its possible application in Australia, the Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, announced today.

Date: 24/4/1998
Title: New child care places for NSW

Description:
The Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, and the New South Wales Minister for Children's Services, Faye Lo Po', announced today that agreement has been reached between the Commonwealth and NSW on cost sharing arrangements for the delivery of child care places.

Date: 21/4/1998
Title: Australian Institute of Family Studies loses director

Description:
The Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, has expressed his sadness at the death on the weekend of Dr Harry McGurk, the Director of the Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Date: 2/4/1998
Title: What older Australians want

Description:
With the $270 million Staying at Home - Care and Support for Older Australians package announced by the Prime Minister today, the Government has shown its commitment and support for older Australians and their right to age with independence, choice and dignity, Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, said today.

Date: 10/3/1998
Title: Commonwealth Child Care Advisory Council

Description:
Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith, today announced a major strengthening of the Government's commitment to families with the establishment of the Commonwealth Child Care Advisory Council.

Date: 5/3/1998
Title: Families to benefit from increased child care assistance

Description:
Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith, today encouraged parents to contact Centrelink and register for Childcare Assistance in the Outside School Hours Sector.

Date: 26/2/1998
Title: Commonwealth / state disability agreement

Description:
Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith, said today the Federal Government would not be drawn into a political argument with some States over the issue of disability funding.

Date: 20/2/1998
Title: Additional support for outside school hours care

Description:
Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith, today announced $8 million for Commonwealth funded Outside School Hours Care services, as part of the Government's assistance to the sector in making the transition to new administrative arrangements from 27 April 1998.

Date: 10/2/1998
Title: Income-testing for residential fees

Description:
Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith, today announced that income-testing arrangements for new entrants to aged care facilities would include a 28 day 'period of grace'.

Date: 9/2/1998
Title: Minister launches major initiative for carers

Description:
Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith, today launched a national toll-free 1800 telephone service for carers wanting information about respite available in their local area.

Date: 4/2/1998
Title: Minister encourages business and community partnerships

Description:
Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith, today encouraged businesses and communities to form strategic partnerships with each other and the Federal Government to ensure corporate generosity is used to generate social capital.

Date: 23/1/1998
Title: Administration arrangements for child care payments

Description:
Federal Minister for Family Services, Warwick Smith, today announced that the Government would maintain current child care payment procedures in order to simplify child care payment arrangements for families, in advance of the smart card technology proposed for implementation during 1999.

Date: 14/1/1998
Title: Commonwealth / state funding for Queensland long day care

Description:
Federal Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith, and Queensland Minister for Families, Youth and Community Care, Kev Lingard, today announced joint Commonwealth/State funding of $1.092 million for the refurbishment of four child care centres in Queensland.

Date: 8/1/1998
Title: Appointment of aged care standards and accreditation agency manager

Description:
Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith, today announced the appointment of Mr Timothy Burns as General Manager of the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency.

Date: 6/1/1998
Title: Federal government provides more than $2 million to NSW child care

Description:
Family Services Minister, Warwick Smith, today announced Federal funding of more than $2 million for child care services in New South Wales.