Thursday, 18 March 2021

Members statements

MannaCare

Mr GUY (Bulleen) (09:36): Today I would like to raise in my members statement a matter that I am hoping the Minister for Health can solve regarding MannaCare, Manningham’s aged-care service provider. MannaCare is a not-for-profit charitable association which provides a range of support services for older people living in Manningham. It provides some disability services under the national disability insurance scheme and the home and community care program for younger people, services that are department funded. Home maintenance, rehab, community respite, in-home support, home care packages and residential aged-care facilities are all offered, with the residential facilities being home to 150 places. MannaCare operates on subleased land from the Manningham council, which is actually owned by the Department of Health, at 371 Manningham Road in Doncaster.

There is no doubt this pandemic we are going through has hit every sector of the economy hard. All of MannaCare’s services have been impacted over the last year because of transmission rates and the susceptibility of visitors. All onsite community programs to groups as well as day-night overnight respite programs have obviously had to be suspended. The council has sought to help MannaCare seek rent relief from the landlord, which is the state government. It is a worthy and sincere cause because the council, seeking to pursue this in order to help save this community’s social asset, is trying its hardest. Sadly, despite months of contact, there has been nothing from the department—not a single return email, no return phone call and no return letter, which is frankly outrageous. So in this members statement I simply highlight to the health minister the importance of MannaCare and the need for some contact on this issue from the department. Surely return contact is possible, is polite and should be expected since contact was first made in September last year. I hope the health minister hears this plea and at minimum seeks that his department first do the right thing and have a discussion with Manningham council and MannaCare about this most pressing issue.