The Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health Reform, Minister for Housing and Homelessness
Images of The Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health Reform, Minister for Housing and Homelessness

THE HON MARK BUTLER MP

Minister for Mental Health and Ageing

Minister for Social Inclusion

Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health Reform

Minister for Housing and Homelessness

Living Longer Living Better in the Hunter

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Minister for Ageing Mark Butler joined local MP Jill Hall today in Belmont to report back to the community on the Government’s $3.7 billion aged care package.

PDF printable version of Living Longer Living Better in the Hunter (PDF 211 KB)

Joint release

The Hon Mark Butler MP
Minister for Mental Health and Ageing
Minister for Social Inclusion
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health Reform

Jill Hall MP
Federal Member for Shortland

17 July 2012

Minister for Ageing Mark Butler joined local MP Jill Hall today in Belmont to report back to the community on the Government’s $3.7 billion aged care package.

Mr Butler said the Australian Government’s Living Longer Living Better aged care reform provided a comprehensive 10-year plan to reshape aged care.

“In preparing this package I held consultations with individuals, community groups and the aged care industry across Australia, including the Hunter and Central Coast regions. We listened to what you said and now we are delivering.”

Local Federal MP for Shortland Jill Hall said the $3.7 billion reforms provide a strong focus on helping people to stay in their own home as they get older.

“People want to be able to live in their own home and get the support services they need to continue having a meaningful interactive life in their community,” Ms Hall said.

Mr Butler said it was also important to provide more choice and control to older people in the way services were delivered.

“We’re replacing an aged care system designed a quarter of a century ago and which is now ill-equipped to meet the needs of retiring baby boomers and their parents who are living longer and healthier lives,” Mr Butler said.

Other key aspects of the reform package include:
    • Increase residential aged care places from 191,522 to 221,103.
    • Funding of $1.2 billion to improve the aged care workforce through a Workforce Compact.
    • More funding for dementia care in the aged care network, and more support for services.
    • A single gateway to all aged care services, to make them easier to access and navigate
Information on the Living Longer Living Better package can be found at the Aged Care Australia website.

For more information, please contact the Minister’s Office on 02 6277 7280

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