Earlier Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, was in Darwin where the Federal Labor announced 10’s of millions of dollars to restart the development of a new aged-care facility, originally announced 4-years-ago. But with elderly Territorians and their carers continuing to languish on aged care wait lists, some are cynical about the renewed promise.
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00:00When Jill and Max fell in love it was a case of opposites attract.
00:07What I saw in him was this quiet, very peaceful.
00:15He loved that I was an independent person, that I didn't take any rubbish.
00:20That drive proved invaluable when Max was diagnosed with dementia five years ago
00:25and Jill became his biggest advocate.
00:28As Max's needs grew, caring for him grew harder as well.
00:32When she'd reached breaking point, Jill was told they'd need to wait another three months for a spot in residential aged care.
00:40I felt incredibly alone and isolated and there was nothing I could do about it.
00:46Lengthy residential aged care wait lists have caused elderly Territorians pain for years.
00:52Right now 12 aging Territorians are in the Alice Springs Hospital because they can't find a place in aged care.
00:59Around the Territory 60 to 80 Territorians are in the same position on any given day.
01:05The hospitals up here especially often go into code yellow because our elderly are there either waiting for a bed or a package so they can go home.
01:15Four years ago the former Labor NT government sourced Commonwealth funding for 60 aged care beds.
01:22The plan was to partner with the private sector but a suitable provider was never found and progress stalled.
01:28Federal Labor now promising to build that facility for 60 million and double the beds.
01:33The new Territory government believes it will also cost them double.
01:38The reality is that the initial estimates that we have is around 120 million dollars to establish a 120 bed facility in Darwin.
01:47So we'll be working with the federal government to flesh that out a bit further.
01:51Some say that's at least 80 beds short of what's needed.
01:55Where's the staff to deliver them? That's the main thing and then also the beds.
02:02We have put in place the aged care workforce issues which is a precondition for doing everything else.
02:08For Territorians like Jill and Max it will come too late.