Council & Politics
8 December, 2025
Council reviews community care
NORTHERN Grampians Shire Council will review future community care service options in response to sweeping aged care sector reforms.
NORTHERN Grampians Shire Council will review future community care service options in response to sweeping aged care sector reforms.
Council made the decision at a meeting in St Arnaud on Monday, following Federal Government changes to the way aged care services are funded and delivered.
The Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Rules 2025 came into effect last month and have a fundamental focus on the rights and needs of older people.
Northern Grampians Shire chief executive Brent McAlister said the changes were designed to give older Australians greater choice in relation to services and providers.
“The services are moving from block funding – where council receives set funding to deliver services – to fee-for-service models, where funding follows individual clients who can choose their own provider,” he said.
“As a result, more providers will likely enter the market to offer aged care services, which could make it difficult for council to remain cost-competitive, as these providers may deliver services more efficiently due to different cost structures, wage agreements and economies of scale.”
Mr McAlister said the community care review would help council determine if it continued to be a service provider, or if its role changed to one of advocacy, navigation and community development.
“Given we are a small rural council with a massive asset base, we are struggling financially,” he said.
“Our community care services are not fully funded by the Commonwealth Government and rely upon substantial funding from ratepayers.
Mr McAlister said the review process would start in January.
“We will have workshops in St Arnaud and Stawell to discuss what value council could provide in the event we withdraw from the service and where we could still play a valuable role.
Read More: St Arnaud