Aged-care services—Newman
776. Hon Nick Goiran to the minister representing the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors:
I refer to the minister's response to my question without notice 682 asked on behalf of anxious aged-care respite clients, which did not answer any of the five parts, and which now calls into question whether there is any benefit to our state in having a state Minister for Aged Care and Seniors.
(1) Is the minister aware of the 18 September 2024 Department of Health contract for $199,525 awarded to EY titled "WA Aged Care Market Analysis and Options to Stimulate Supply"?
(2) If yes, what were the options recommended by Ernst & Young's analysis?
(3) Does the government intend to implement any of the options in this analysis and, if so, what is the timeline for implementing them?
(4) Will the minister table the analysis?
Hon Jackie Jarvis replied:
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for some notice of the question. The following response has been provided by the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors.
(1) Yes.
(2)–(3) The analysis examined current and projected demand and supply for residential aged care in Western Australia. This informed state government advocacy to the Commonwealth, as well as the state government's commitment to deliver a $100 million aged-care low interest loan scheme to deliver additional concessional aged-care beds, as well as the implementation and expansion of the state government's Time to Think program.
(4) The analysis contains commercial-in-confidence and sensitive information and is therefore not appropriate for release.
