Mrs HICKEY - 1999-02-25
The opposition is very pleased to hear of the initiatives the government proposes. But the minister must also be aware that a large number of elderly Territorians are stuck in Royal Darwin Hospital waiting to get into a nursing home. I am told of a woman who has been there for 14 months. One man I know has been waiting in the hospital since November of last year. The hospital environment is totally unsuitable for this elderly man who is not acutely ill, but needs a nursing home. Why is the Country Liberal Party, in this Year of Seniors, failing our senior Territorians so badly?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is a sad and true matter that often people who are nursing home appropriate, are in acute settings. It is sad for a couple of reason. First is that often their accommodation is more appropriate in a nursing home rather than acute setting, and it’s also not the place to have people given that it takes up bed space. It’s a matter that is mainly in the province of the Commonwealth government – that is the regional nursing homes. However, this government has never seen that as a reason for not providing very generous support in nursing homes.
Over recent years this Northern Territory government has assisted the Salvation Army Nursing Home to extend its beds beyond that which would be the case in any other jurisdiction, I would say. We are looking at initiatives at Myilly Point for a group to put in nursing home facilities. We have assisted in Palmerston and we’ve assisted in other places throughout the Territory. It is a matter that we take extremely seriously and although we’re not in the business of subsidising any Commonwealth government for shortfalls in services, which is their responsibility to provide, we unashamedly stand up and subsidise Territorians who may be best in need of it.
We are very proud of the initiatives we’ve put into senior Territorians. We have the most generous pension concession cards in Australia. It stands far and beyond that which is available in any other jurisdiction. It’s initial aim was to encourage retirees who hitherto had left the Territory in droves to stay here and make it their home. We’ve been very successful with this program and it is yet another indication of our bona fides in helping senior Territorians.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is a sad and true matter that often people who are nursing home appropriate, are in acute settings. It is sad for a couple of reason. First is that often their accommodation is more appropriate in a nursing home rather than acute setting, and it’s also not the place to have people given that it takes up bed space. It’s a matter that is mainly in the province of the Commonwealth government – that is the regional nursing homes. However, this government has never seen that as a reason for not providing very generous support in nursing homes.
Over recent years this Northern Territory government has assisted the Salvation Army Nursing Home to extend its beds beyond that which would be the case in any other jurisdiction, I would say. We are looking at initiatives at Myilly Point for a group to put in nursing home facilities. We have assisted in Palmerston and we’ve assisted in other places throughout the Territory. It is a matter that we take extremely seriously and although we’re not in the business of subsidising any Commonwealth government for shortfalls in services, which is their responsibility to provide, we unashamedly stand up and subsidise Territorians who may be best in need of it.
We are very proud of the initiatives we’ve put into senior Territorians. We have the most generous pension concession cards in Australia. It stands far and beyond that which is available in any other jurisdiction. It’s initial aim was to encourage retirees who hitherto had left the Territory in droves to stay here and make it their home. We’ve been very successful with this program and it is yet another indication of our bona fides in helping senior Territorians.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016