Statement on Behalf of Meals on Wheels Australia
Paul Sadler, Chair, Meals on Wheels Australia Ltd
Meals on Wheels Australia warmly welcomes the Federal Government’s $37 million cost-of-living funding boost for aged care meals services. This timely investment will assist more than 500 meals providers nationwide in addressing increasing cost pressures and ensuring the delivery of nutritious, quality meals to older Australians in their homes.
We appreciate the Government’s recognition of the vital role Meals on Wheels and other Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) providers play in supporting older Australians to live independently, stay healthy, and remain connected to their communities. This funding boost is a step in the right direction to support these essential services.
I welcome the Minister for Aged Care’s commitment to support Meals on Wheels services, confirmed when we met at Parliament House recently. Coming on top of the Government’s extensive aged care reforms that passed last week, this funding boost is reassuring for meals providers.
We look forward to continued discussions with the Government about addressing long-standing funding challenges, including the need for further increases to overcome the shortfalls caused by inadequate indexation in past years. But there is no question that this will take pressure off Meals on Wheels services in the short term. This commitment to the future of Meals on Wheels will help sustain this iconic community service for generations to come.
We thank the Government for its dedication to the health and well-being of older Australians and for ensuring that services like ours remain a vital part of the aged care system.
