Comment On Petrol Prices and Home and Community Care Services

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1 July 2008

The Minister for Ageing, Mrs Justine Elliot said the Rudd Government had a range of measures relating to petrol and community care.

"Firstly, the Rudd Government on February 16 appointed a Petrol Commissioner as a 'cop on the beat' and introduced the Fuelwatch scheme to help motorists compare prices.

In addition, the Rudd Government has committed an extra $15 million over three years to help community organisations and their volunteers with their work, including fuel bills.

The Government will expand items eligible for funding under the program to include petrol vouchers for volunteers who use their vehicle.

This will bring the total funding for the Volunteer Grants Program to $64 million over the next three years. This new measure would begin this month (July).

The Australian Government recognises the important role that both volunteers and not-for-profit organisations plays in the service delivery of community care services.

That is why the Australian Government will increase funding next year for the Home and Community Care Program to $1.090 billion. That is an increase of 8.3 per cent.

As Minister for Ageing, I am responsible for nursing homes and community care. Over the next four years, the Rudd Government will invest more than $40 billion into this area; $11.4 billion into community care such as home help and meals on wheels services and $28.6 billion into nursing homes.

I am proud that our first budget delivered $5.2 billion in additional funding for older Australians.

We understand the cost of living pressures on our seniors. This is just a start and we know that more needs to be done. That is why the Government has committed to a total review of our taxation system and of retirement incomes.

Fixing the system after 12 years of neglect by the previous government is not simple - but the Government is getting on with job."

For more information, contact Mrs Elliot's office on (02) 6277 7280