Palmerston to get new 120 bed aged care centre if Labor wins

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has revealed where the Top End’s new 120 bed aged-care facility will be built. Read where it is.

Generic aged care.

City of Palmerston is expected to benefit from the $60 million aged care incentive announced on Thursday by the federal Labor Party.

Speaking in Palmerston on Friday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged a 2024 NT Budget anouncement to spend $10 million preparing the ground for a 120 bed aged-care facility in the city would guide the commonwealth’s future plans.

Asked why the government would not leverage off the NT’s $10m groundworks and build the new facility in Palmerston, Mr Albanese said “that’s precisely what we intend to do”.

The Territory’s 2024 budget earmarked land in the Palmerston Regional Health precinct for the new facility.

Generic aged care.

Mr Albanese and Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells spruiked Labor’s commitment to supporting seniors in the Territory.

“We’re investing up to $60 million to support construction of a new residential care home in Darwin, delivering no less than 120 new residential care beds, addressing acute shortages which are here in the Top End,” he said.

“Our health and aged care plan for the Territory is a comprehensive plan.”

Ms Wells said during a recent visit she made to Pearl Supported Care in Fannie Bay she was told there was a waiting list of more than 100 people wanting a bed at the facility.

In addition, there are currently around 60 aged care patients occupying beds in Royal Darwin Hospital.

“This money will be on top of the $40 million we have already invested in building more residential aged care facilities here in Darwin this term,” Ms Wells said.

“What that process looks like now is we will open expressions of interest and we’ve already been talking to providers who have the kind of experience and capability to be able to deliver this facilty.”

City of Palmerston mayor Athina Pacoe-Bell was contacted for comment.