The federal government has announced it will amend the Commonwealth Home Support Program grant guidelines to fund the Burrangiri Aged Care Respite Centre as a cottage respite service.

The move follows months of pressure from community advocates, ACT Independent Senator David Pocock, and Independent MLA Fiona Carrick, after the transition to the federal government’s new Support at Home system locked older Canberrans out of using Burrangiri — despite it housing half of the ACT’s available respite beds.

Burrangiri, operated by the Salvation Army, provides 15 beds with 24-hour registered nurse care and short-term placements of up to three weeks for older people, including those living with dementia. Unlike mainstream aged care facilities, it does not require an ACAT assessment for entry.

However, the ACT Government announced last year that it would close in June 2025, as it was not fit for purpose and ineligible for Commonwealth funding because it was not an approved provider of aged care services. In May, the government reversed its decision, and extended the Salvation Army’s operating contract to mid-2027.

Under the amended guidelines, Burrangiri and other eligible providers can now apply for a CHSP grant to deliver Commonwealth-supported cottage respite services.

Senator Gallagher

Federal finance minister and Senator for the ACT Katy Gallagher said the outcome reflected the complexity of a problem that was unique to the ACT and the government’s commitment to protecting local health and aged care services.

“It was clear that a practical solution was needed to protect access to local respite care, and delivering this outcome reflects our passion for appropriate health and aged care services here in the ACT, just like they exist in many other places around Australia,” Senator Gallagher said.

“I’m glad we have been able to deliver much‑needed certainty for families who rely on Burrangiri, while we continue working towards sustainable, long‑term arrangements.”

Senator Pocock

Senator Pocock welcomed the announcement, but cautioned it was a temporary fix.

“Today’s announcement isn’t a guarantee of support, but it does open up a pathway and shows that pressure from our community can pay off,” Senator Pocock said.

“I commend community advocates on their efforts, but we shouldn’t have to fight so hard to get Canberrans access to basic, federally funded services like respite.

“While I welcome this announcement, it is a temporary fix, and we need to keep working collaboratively on a long-term solution for Burrangiri and the provision of respite and aged care in the ACT more broadly.

“There is so much frustration across the ACT and around the country that governments aren’t meeting the demand for aged care supports to reduce hospital bed block, enable more older Australians to age more independently at home, and delay entry to residential aged care as long as possible.

“I’ll keep pushing for things like a fair tax on gas exports in order to fund additional aged care supports and train more aged care staff to meet workforce shortages.”

Independent Candidate for Bean Jessie Price said, “Community pressure works. This much-needed and much-loved facility has been saved by the community coming together to fight for it.”

Currently more than 200,000 Australians are waiting to either be assessed for a Support at Home package or to receive one post-assessment, but the government has only funded 60 per cent of approved packages, the independents noted. More than 3,100 people are stuck in hospital waiting for an appropriate discharge opportunity. 

Fiona Carrick

Independent MLA Fiona Carrick said the two-year window created an opportunity to determine how best to deploy the federal government’s $10 million commitment to new respite bed infrastructure in the ACT. She said any capital investment must retain 24-hour registered nursing care as a baseline.

“More than 58,000 carers across our city provide daily, often exhausting support to their loved ones. Reliable respite isn’t optional; it is essential to sustaining their wellbeing.

“We now have a real opportunity to expand and secure respite care in the ACT. To achieve that, the Federal Government’s $10 million commitment must be used to deliver more respite beds and ensure we retain access to 24/7 registered nursing care.

“I would like to thank Senator Gallagher for listening to the community and finding a solution. I would also like to thank Senator Pocock for his ongoing support for respite and the Save Burrangiri Action Group who are tireless in ensuring the issues around respite are understood by everyone involved in determining the future of respite in the ACT.”