CAP is a budget secret
The Minister tells Australian Ageing Agenda she will “neither confirm nor deny” whether the CAP will be continued in this year’s budget.
The Commonwealth Minister for Ageing has ruled out a commitment on the future of the Conditional Adjustment Payment (CAP) for the moment.
Responding to comments from Shadow Minister, Margaret May, Justine Elliot told Australian Ageing Agenda that the continuation of the CAP was a matter for Budget consideration.
“It is a long standing principle to neither confirm nor deny what is, or is not, part of the Budget process,” she said.
The Minister did however, reiterate her Government’s commitment to the ongoing provision of effective care and support for older Australians.
“My first concern as Minister for Ageing is that we have quality care for older people,” she said.
“Starting from 20 March 2008, changes to accommodation payments and care payments, made with Coalition support, will deliver estimated additional revenue of $1.13 billion to residential aged care providers over four years, rising to more than $350 million per year after that, from both Government and resident payments.”