The Albanese Government’s new Support at Home system is locking older Canberrans and their families out of Burrangiri Aged Care Respite Centre, despite it being home to half of the ACT’s available respite beds.
ACT Independent Senator David Pocock exposed the alarming revelation today during Senate Estimates.
Under the new Support at Home system, access to Burrangiri is now limited to those with a grandfathered home care package, those with NDIS funding and those who have the capacity to pay for respite privately.
“It is completely absurd that people can no longer access Burrangiri through the very system that is supposed to support older people and their families,” Senator Pocock said.
“Together with independent member for Murrumbidgee Fiona Carrick MLA, the Candidate for Bean, Jessie Price, and so many people across our community I fought hard to keep Burrangiri open for longer.
“We pushed Labor to commit an additional $10 million of federal funding to expand respite, but that won't happen until after June 2027. So it makes no sense to now have half of our beds rendered off limits by Federal policy changes, while they undertake this work.”
Senator Pocock said the change would disproportionately impact women, who make up the majority of unpaid carers.
“I regularly hear from Canberrans, overwhelmingly women, who are simultaneously caring for children and ageing parents and for whom respite is not a luxury but an essential service that allows them to attend to their own health needs and balance the demands of care.
“If we restrict access to respite, we will see more carers burning out and more people in our hospitals who don’t need to be there,” Senator Pocock said.
Senator Pocock has called on Aged Care Minister Sam Rae to urgently fix the problem.
“I’m grateful that the representing Minister Malarndirri McCarthy committed to following this up at Senate Estimates, but I call on Aged Care Minister Sam Rae to urgently fix the administrative blocks that are preventing people from accessing Burrangiri.”
A survey conducted by the Save Burrangiri Action Group last year found that Burrangiri provides approximately 50 per cent of the ACT’s respite beds.Canberrans can still access cottage respite through Carers ACT using their Support at Home package.
A transcript of the Senate Estimates hearing is available here