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Related: HACC consultation period extended
FEDERAL Labor politicians have urged the City of Greater Bendigo not to withdraw its Home and Community Care services, believing the private sector cannot guarantee the same level of care.
Speaking in Bendigo on Tuesday, federal Labor's spokesperson for ageing Shayne Neumann described the decision as a "fault" and questioned the arguments pushing for the change.
He said the city would likely need to rely on care providers from Melbourne, which he doubted could provide the same service to Bendigo's elderly.
"If they cut that funding, who knows what profit driven organisation will deliver the kind of quality care that these people would expect," Mr Neumann said.
"We want to make sure that local people deliver those services to people they know."
The City of Greater Bendigo provisionally withdrew from providing HACC services at its February meeting, citing that in July 2016 funding would be transferred from the state to the Commonwealth.
The change would open the sector up to competition, which the council believed it could not afford or realistically be expected to compete in.
Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters said a report commissioned for council pointed to the NDIS as a reason for the withdrawal, which she questioned.
"They cite the NDIS, well at a federal government level at at a local level, the rollout has stalled," she said.
"We don't have a start date. Why are we trying to replace (HACC) already?"
Mr Neumann met with Bendigo aged care providers at a forum at Bendigo Library on Tuesday to discuss challenges they face as reforms approach.
The City of Greater Bendigo will decide on May 6 whether to withdraw from HACC services by September 30 this year.