Better Aged Care Services For Regional Victorians

A re-elected Andrews Labor Government will deliver better public aged care services for residents in regional Victoria, with upgrades to homes at Cohuna in Northern Victoria, Numurkah in the Goulburn Valley and Maffra in Gippsland.

The Liberals slashed $75 million from aged care as they pushed for the full privatisation of aged care facilities last time they were in government.  They closed more than 400 beds across the state – 240 beds were shut in metro Melbourne and about 170 in rural and regional Victoria.

We kept our promise to stop the Liberals selling off public aged care – and now we're upgrading facilities for the best possible care for residents.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers Colin Brooks opened the new Wantirna public aged care home – an $81.6 million facility with 120 beds for ageing residents in our eastern suburbs.

The purpose-built facility will deliver the very best care in a comfortable environment that feels like home, highlighting the Labor Government’s investment in delivering high-quality public aged care services.

A re-elected Labor Government will do more, investing up to $170 million to redevelop three public aged care homes in regional Victoria – ensuring older Victorians can remain connected to their communities as they age.

The upgrades will deliver more modern facilities that are dementia-friendly and can support residents with complex care needs.

This includes up to $45 million to redevelop the 16-bed facility, including a new 8 bed medical ward, at Cohuna in northern Victoria. We’ll also invest up to $55 million to redevelop the Numurkah aged care home, upgrading facilities for its 36 residents – and we’ll invest up to $70 million to redevelop the 30-bed aged care facility at Maffra in Gippsland.

This will mean specially designed facilities supporting the independence and privacy of residents while helping to keep older Victorians connected to their own communities.

Public aged care facilities are incredibly important to regional and rural communities. In many country towns, public aged care services are the only option for older Victorians who need additional support.

Investing in aged care supports our broader healthcare system, too – allowing residents with more complex care needs who would otherwise have to be transferred to hospital to be treated in the comfort of their aged care home.

The redevelopment works will support local jobs, with 400 positions to be created in the construction phase alone. Works are anticipated to begin by 2025 with the first residents expected to be moving into new accommodation by late 2027.

The Andrews Labor Government has backed better aged care services for all Victorians, with more than $600 million invested in new and improved facilities since we came to government – more than half of that in regional Victoria.

As well as investing in bricks and mortar, we’ve backed the aged care workforce. Victoria was the first state to introduce nurse-to-resident ratios in public aged care – and we’ve been pushing for change in the private sector too.

We’re delivering a $270 million healthcare workforce package to deliver free degrees, training and upskilling for the next generation of nurses – and we’ve made it free to study the Diploma of Nursing and Certificate IV in Ageing Support through Free TAFE.

Only Labor will continue to deliver important public aged care services to regional communities, with upgrades and improvements to make them more like home.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“Victorians in aged care deserve to spend their golden years close to family and friends, in the communities they know and love, receiving the very best of care.”

“Labor is doing what matters – ensuring our parents and grandparents continue to receive the care and dignity they deserve in their later years.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers Colin Brooks

“The last time Matthew Guy’s Liberals were in government, they shut and privatised nursing homes, cut millions from the aged care budget and slashed the number of beds available to older Victorians.”

“Labor undid the Liberals’ damage by introducing nurse-to-resident ratios and investing more than $600 million in new and improved aged care facilities – because only Labor can be trusted to do what matters.”