SA Election 2018: Council on the Ageing and SA Council of Social Services deliver scorecards on political parties

OF the three parties vying to form government at this weekend’s election, SA Best has topped both the SA Council of Social Services and Council on the Ageing’s scorecards.

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NICK Xenophon’s SA Best is most likely to deliver what the aged care and community sector want, according to newly released scorecards.

Of the three parties vying to form government at this weekend’s election, SA Best has topped both the SA Council of Social Services and Council on the Ageing’s scorecards.

But SACOSS chief executive Ross Womersley said smaller parties like SA Best were advantaged because they could give in-principle support to a raft of major policies without providing the economic detail expected of the Liberal and Labor parties.

“We have to take that on face value. It’s for the public of South Australia to make sense of how those issues will be funded,” he said.

SA Best received 21.5 out of 30 from SACOSS – aided by their policy to slash the number of poker machines – marginally ahead of Labor (21 stars) and the Liberals (18 stars).

Of the parties hoping to win seats on the crossbench, SACOSS rated the Greens’ policies highest, ahead of the Dignity Party, with the Australian Conservatives and Advance SA further back.

SACOSS' report card on the major political parties.

No major party scored more than three out of five in addressing cost of living issues, with Mr Womersley saying it was “a little puzzling” that they hadn’t met SACOSS’ demands.

COTA gave all three major parties’ policies an amber “traffic light” rating, but SA Best again finished slightly ahead of Labor and then the Liberals.

The Greens and the Dignity Party were the only outfits to receive a green traffic light rating.

COTA chief executive Jane Mussared said all parties had given a clear indication they would take steps to wipe out elder abuse.

All parties have indicated support to wipe out elder abuse.

“We can rightly have high expectations that elder protection will be an immediate priority regardless of the flavour or make up of our next government,” she said.

“There is bipartisan support and a shared sense of urgency to act to stop elder abuse.”

COTA’s scorecard comes as the Liberal Party yesterday pledged $16 million to extend community outreach palliative care services, if it wins this weekend’s election.

It would also undertake a statewide audit of where palliative care services were falling short.

“Enhancing palliative care options will assist people to live the last period of their life in accord with their wishes,” Liberal Leader Steven Marshall said.