Q. The Federal Government are proposing to implement a number of reforms , which will require funding of billions of dollars. Which of the following reforms do you think is most important?

31% think that the Government’s most important proposed reform is extra school funding as recommended by the Gonski Review and 29% favour increased resources for aged care.

Extra school, funding is supported more by Labor voters, (35%), Greens voters (41%) and those aged under 45 (40%).

Increased resources for aged care is favoured by Liberal/National voters (37%) and those aged 45+ (42%).

Ken Morrison says our cities need to be transformed for our ageing population – and it’s not solely about nursing homes.

By 2050 Australia will have a population of 35 million – almost a quarter of whom will be over 65. And while we are ageing, our cities are growing. It’s not just aged care facilities and health care which will be under pressure but our cities as a whole — transport, outdoor spaces, housing, information access and security.

The Property Council’s Ken Morrison tells 3Q the problem is not isolated to the lack of nursing home places. With a declining tax base and a burgeoning number of elderly, the pressures on all tiers of government will be immense which is why making cities function now is more important than ever.
Read his blog about age friendly cities.

As the Government promotes its policy of the elderly staying in their homes for longer, the Property Council is part of an organisation lobbying for all new homes to be built to universal design standards by 2020.

Read about the partnership between the Property Council, government and other organisations.

By building a house to last its occupants’ lifetimes, despite illness or disability, we will all be able to live independently for longer. Universal design ideas are already being implemented in Japan, Britain, Canada and Norway.

Q. The Federal Government recently announced changes to aged care which included extra funding, better access to aged care services, capping costs of aged care accommodation and in-home care and means testing aged care accommodation costs. How much have you read or heard about those aged care changes?

Just 7% of respondents claim to have read or heard ‘a lot’ about the recent Federal Government changes to aged care. A further 26% have read or heard ‘some’.

32% of respondents have read or heard ‘a little’ while 30% have read or heard ‘nothing’.

Labor voters were more likely to have read or heard ‘a lot’ (11%) or ‘some’ (31%).

There were no significant differences based on gender.

Older respondents were more likely to state that they had read or heard ‘some’ about the aged care changes (33% of those aged 55-64 and 39% of those aged 65+).

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Q. Do you approve or disapprove of the Government’s changes to aged care?

61% of respondents approve of the Government’s changes to aged care. Just 7% disapprove.

Labor voters were more likely to approve (71%); however approval rates were still high for Lib/Nat voters (54%).

Females (65%) were more likely than males (56%) to approve of the changes.

Older respondents were also more likely to approve of the changes (78% of those aged 55-64 and 71% of those aged 65+).

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Q. Which party would you trust most to provide aged care services?

There was very little difference between the parties as to who respondents would trust more to provide aged care services – 31% selected Labor, 27% selected the Liberal Party and 30% said there was no difference.

Respondents tended to follow party lines in terms of which party they would trust most to deliver aged care services. However a large proportion of Labor (17%), Liberal (26%) and Green (43%) voters said there was no difference between the parties.

Males (32%) were more likely than females (22%) to most trust the Liberal party.

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