Council is reviewing its community services from 1 July 2026 to help create a comprehensive understanding of how services are meeting the needs of the Queenscliffe community, now and into the future.

The first service area to be reviewed will be Aged Care through the Commonwealth Home Support Program. This priority reflects the introduction of the legislation and service obligations to the new Support at Home model coming into effect from 1 July 2027.

As part of the review, Council will work to better understand the new compliance and reporting requirements, associated costs, and clinical responsibilities.

Councils across Victoria are currently considering how best to respond to these changes while continuing to support older people in their communities. The Borough of Queenscliffe is undertaking this review to ensure local aged care services remain responsive, sustainable and focused on the wellbeing of older residents.

The changes are designed to give older Australians greater choice in relation to services and providers.

Under the proposed reforms:

• Funding will follow the individual, not the provider
• Clients will be able to choose the service provider that best meets their needs
• Providers will need to offer a broader range of services
• Reporting and compliance requirements will increase
• Larger organisations may be better positioned to operate in the new system

As the Borough of Queenscliff is a small local provider, Council may face challenges to meet these requirements at a sustainable cost.

Council currently supports around 120 local residents by providing:

• Domestic assistance
• Personal care
• Respite care
• Home and garden maintenance
• Limited local transport

Other organisations also provide these and additional services (such as allied health and meals) to Borough residents.

As grant funding and client fees do not cover the costs, Council currently subsidises this service by approximately $130,00 per annum.

Council is considering two options:

Option 1: Continue providing aged care services

• Council remains a provider under the new system and services continue locally
• Fees are likely to increase due to rising costs

Option 2: Transition to other aged care providers

• Council transitions clients to other providers, and services would continue to be delivered through those providers
• Clients may experience changes (e.g. new staff or schedules, different fees)

At this stage, there are no immediate changes to services.

If any changes do occur:

• Council will keep clients, families, and carers informed through direct communication
• Support will be available to help the community through any transition
• Services will continue without interruption to ensure ongoing care and connection

We encourage our clients to keep their contact details up to date so we can stay connected and continue providing the best possible support. We also recommend keeping any correspondence related to aged care services for future reference and ongoing communication.

Throughout 2026, Council will actively engage with the community to share updates, listen to feedback, and help shape the future of aged care services in Queenscliffe.

As part of this process, Council will work closely with the community and service users through the following stages:

• Council to consider Officers report at the June 2026 Council meeting
• Community and client engagement
• A service review will be completed in mid-2026
• Council will consider findings later in 2026
• A decision will be made about future service delivery later in 2026