Friday, 14 November 2025

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:31): The Allan Labor government deeply values Victoria’s public aged care services, because older Victorians deserve access to high-quality care close to home. Last week I had the privilege of attending the 2025 public sector residential aged care services (PSRACS) forum ‘Rights, Respect, Reform: Aged Care in a New Era’ alongside more than 200 staff from Victoria’s public sector residential aged care services. Victoria remains unique in Australia for the strength and scale of its public aged care system. Our 156 services provide more than 5400 public beds across the state, with more than 90 per cent of those located in regional communities. At the forum I spoke about the critical role these services play in helping older Victorians remain connected to their families and communities and about the high-quality, nurse-led care they deliver every day.

We are delivering significant capital investment in PSRACS across the state, creating modern, dementia-friendly environments with single ensuite rooms, open green spaces and welcoming communal areas that promote independence, dignity and connection. While these are critical investments, the heart of our aged care system lies in people – our residents and the workforce who care for them. Their skill and professionalism set the benchmark for care in Victoria – ensuring, for example, that more than 3500 residents received an RSV vaccination this winter – and they continue to deliver exceptional care as national reforms roll out.

I am pleased to announce a new $5 million PSRACS quality improvement grant program to support providers to prepare for the new Aged Care Act 2024 and strengthened national standards. Victoria is well placed to lead aged care into a new era of rights, respect and reform, and our government will always back the sector as these important changes are implemented.