Australian Aged Care Providers Ask for $1.1 Billion Support

Australian Aged Care Providers Ask for $1.1 Billion Support
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 02: Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivers the budget in the House of Representatives on April 02, 2019 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)
AAP
By AAP
4/14/2020
Updated:
4/15/2020
Aged care providers have asked the Australian federal government for an extra $1.1 billion (US$691 billion) to help them survive the CCP virus crisis.

The seven major aged care organisations have proposed what they describe as a rescue package.

It includes approximately $250 million (US$175 million) for home care, $546 million (US$343 million) for residential care, and $500 million (US$314 million) for information technology and training.

The government has already pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into the aged care sector during the pandemic.

But the peak bodies said more than half of providers were already losing money before the outbreak of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus.

They warned the dire financial situation was putting hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Australians at risk.

By Daniel McCulloch