MELINDA JAMES, HOST: First, right now, we’ll talk to the Aged Care Minister, the Federal Aged Care Minister Sam Rae is in town. We know that we have dreadful problems here with bed block in the Illawarra, so many elderly people who require aged care beds stuck in hospital, having a huge flow-on effect to the rest of the health system, but also so terribly miserable for people who are maybe at the latter parts of their life who just want a home, and a hospital bed is not a home. Everyone acknowledges it’s a big problem. There’s an announcement today from the Aged Care Minister, Sam Rae, who joins me now. Sam Rae, good morning.
SAM RAE, MINISTER FOR AGED CARE AND SENIORS: Good morning, Mel. Thanks for having me.
JAMES: Pleasure. Can you tell me a little bit about this? This is about capital grants, is it? Because what we do hear is that aged care providers find that it’s very difficult to raise the money to provide aged care beds for people with higher needs. So, what is this money about today that you’re announcing?
RAE: Well, that is quite right, Mel. I think we need to look at what we're trying to achieve here. We want every Australian, no matter where they live, to be able to access safe, dignified and high quality aged care services. We do have an ageing population and there's been lots of conversation across the community about that, and unfortunately in the Illawarra and the surrounding region, we've seen a bit of a blockage when it comes to getting new projects through the pipeline. Some of has been blockage at the planning level, but of course, some of it has been considerations around essentially the costs of those projects. So what we're announcing today is $115 million to be shared across four key hotspots, the Illawarra, the Hunter in New South Wales, as well as Metropolitan Adelaide and Metropolitan Perth to unlock these projects and bring these aged care beds online as quickly as possible.
JAMES: Okay, so this is $115 million to be shared. What do you anticipate will be able to be built with a share of just $115 million?
RAE: Well, $115 is a considerable investment, Mel. What we're going to do is open up an…. [DROPS OUT]
JAMES: Sorry, I beg your pardon. We just lost you for a second there, Minister.
RAE: Apologies. I was just saying I've had lots of engagement with people across the Illawarra, people who are working in the sector as well as older people, and I would take this opportunity to give a special shout-out to my colleagues who are relentless campaigners for better outcomes across the Illawarra, and that would be Alison Byrnes who as everyone knows is a fearless campaigner on these things, as well as Fiona Phillips and Carol Berry. So I feel like I've got a good understanding of what the need is in the community. What we're going to try and do, or what we are going to do, is open up an expressions of interest process so we can understand all of the various options that are on the table, choose the ones that are going to have the greatest impact in the community, and use the money to top up those projects and get them building as quickly as possible.
JAMES: So there will be, what, expressions of interest opening next Friday to aged care providers here locally. I mean, is it not-for-profits you'll be interested in hearing from, or how will this work?
RAE: We are interested in anyone that's got a project that’s going to improve things for older people in the Illawarra. So we have tried to keep this fairly broad. We're not restricting who can apply. What we're looking at is projects that are close to being ready to build that perhaps need that last bit of money to get them over the line, and bring those beds on board as quickly as possible.
JAMES: So, is this a kind of acknowledgement that it's about money more than anything else? I know there's been a lot of talk about the need for adequate staffing levels for people who have higher needs, who are stuck in hospital beds. But is this an acknowledgement that it is actually about money and funding for the sector?
RAE: It's partly about money, Mel. Hard problems rarely have easy answers, in my experience. And this one is a particularly wicked public policy problem. As I said, we've got an ageing population, and I don't want to be too partisan about it, but unfortunately over that Morrison government, we saw investment stall in the aged care sector and that was because that government, leading right back to Tony Abbott, were cutting money out of the aged care sector. So, money is important. Investors need to see the government investing alongside them. But we also need to make sure that we do have the workforce in order to provide that really high quality, dignified care along the way.
JAMES: It'll be very interesting to see the outcome of this funding that will be provided to people. Just before I let you go, I know that you mentioned you've had some fierce advocacy from our local members, but I know someone else who's been lobbying you very hard and she's very proud of her lobbying of you, and that is Val Fell, who's the Keira Woman of the Year, in fact, was just announced Keira Woman of the Year well into her 90s. Well known to us here at ABC Illawarra, a great friend of this program. And Sam Rae, are you a little bit scared of Val Fell?
RAE: I reckon Val Fell, Mel, is one of my favourite Australians. I think she is one of the most extraordinary people someone who's had a lifetime of contribution. she has most recently, across her many contributions, been part of our most senior advisory body when it comes to issues affecting older people across the community. And so I think Val is just so deserving of every accolade that gets laid upon her.
JAMES: Yeah, I've seen a wonderful photo of her shaking her finger at you, getting you to listen to her. I really appreciate your time this morning. Thank you very much for talking to us.
RAE: Pleasure. Take care.