Well done Fre ma ntle Dockers on your great achieve ment this year!
October 2013 swancare resident newsletter Across My Desk CEO’s Report Two major highlights spring to mind as we take a look back at September, the first was the election and the emergence of a coalition victory, and second, was the football finals and the fantastic achievement of our WA based Fremantle Dockers. This article is being put to paper before the grand final so all I can say is that I hope that the results went the right way for you. This month I would like to provide you with an update of the immediate reaction to the new liberal coalition government and also provide you with a general update of developments that are happening in and around our wonderful community.
Political Update With the election now done and dusted the Aged Care sector has general cause for optimism even despite the knowledge that Aged Care will be without its own Minister. The initial good news is that the Coalition Government has immediately foreshadowed a peeling back of the Workforce Supplement to ensure that funding for wages growth will not be excised from operational revenue, and that entitlement to the supplement does not need to be tied to a union based EBA. Improved wages is a really important and key factor in helping us to retain and attract suitable staff to work in the Aged Care and Retirement Living sector. The news that we won’t have to surrender operational funding to help pay for increased wages and improved conditions is great news and is a positive initiative. Naturally the detail of the Coalition’s revised Wages Supplement still need to be unveiled, but the consensus from the sector is that this approach will receive far great acceptance and support.
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The other good news is that the Coalition has made a commitment to reduce red tape within the Aged Care bureaucracy and has also agreed to the injection of a $200 million investment into dementia research, an area that is in need of support and indeed will become a major part of the service offerings for aged care providers into the future. In terms of the lack of a dedicated Minister, this news was initially met with a negative response by the sector, however, once the detail of the new ministry was digested, there has been some softening of this negative stance and the feeling now is that the alignment of Aged Care within the portfolio of Social Services may in fact bring greater benefits and heighten the awareness and challenges of the aged sector and send a message to the broader community that aged services is far more than just healthcare and plays an increasingly significant role in the social and economic fabric of Australia. Further it has been argued that having Aged Care within the same portfolio as Disability Services will bring a strengthening of the relationship between these two essential and often complementary services. This repositioning of Aged Services, due to the alignment with Disability Services, may also foreshadow a move towards having Aged Care operate under an entitlement system (similar to the National Disabilities Insurance Scheme) and move away from the current restrictive rationing system. Hopefully these promises by the Coalition are not just words and that they will follow through and deliver these much needed changes to help ensure that our Aged Care and support services sector is sustainable and viable for not only the current clientele but also for many future generations of Australians.
Development Update – Stage 5A By now you should all be aware that the next major development on the Bentley Park site, referred to as Stage 5A will be undertaken on that land situated on the corner of Jarrah Road and Adie Court, and will run along Adie
Bentley Park Social Club Family Sausage Sizzle - 19th October Details pg 9
Court to just South of Gordon Way and head back to Graham Crescent. Since the last Tidings, there has been a number of planning and scoping meetings with the architects designed at gaining a more detailed understanding of the project and formulate conceptual ideas with regards to such things as building height, density, orientation, location, generic design elements and likely product mix. A site survey has also been undertaken and this has provided relevant information to assist with design opportunities, physical orientation and staging opportunities. The next step in the process is to engage in high level discussions with the Town of Victoria Park to explore these building height opportunities, access arrangements to the site and council planning guidelines that may need to be considered. Once this feedback from Council is received the architects will produce a more detailed concept, and this will then be able to be “price checked” by the Quantity Surveyor. Whilst a lot of planning work is being undertaken it is important to note that we are still some way from commencing any specific detailed design.
Development Update – Australind Rise Work has commenced on the completion of the remaining 5 units that were left at what we call “white set” stage. This will bring to completion the first 21 units which effectively signals the completion of Stage 2. In total we now have 9 units sold or under offer, and 12 unoccupied (5 being the white set ones). The other significant development at Australind is the second stage of the Community Centre, and work is being undertaken behind the scenes with regards to the finalisation of the plans for this development and, subject to approvals from Council, we are hopeful that construction work will be able to start on this project within the next few months. Continued Page 3
Inside this issue > Village News - pg 4 SwanCare Group Charity Golf Day - pg 5 What’s On - pg 6 & 7 Kingia/Tandara Auxiliary - pg 9 Club News - pg 10-11