ACT LABOR CALLED OUT FOR ‘HEARTLESSNESS’ ON BURRANGIRI DECISION
Leanne Castley MLA
Leader of the ACT Liberals
Media Release
5 March 2025
In a rare joint motion, the Canberra Liberals have universally condemned the decision by Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith to shut down Burrangiri Respite Centre.
With a lack of detail, a lack of a proper explanation and with a lack of alternatives, the decision by the Minister for Health is heartless and fails to understand the challenges faced by older Canberrans in seeking help.
Leader of the Canberra Liberals Leanne Castley said today that the decision is not in the best interests of our older citizens who have already given so much service to our community.
“Older Canberrans who rely on respite care and who already suffer from a lack of options are devastated by this decision,” Ms Castley said.
“The excuse that the facility is ‘no longer fit for purpose’ are just weasel words and demonstrate a lack of understanding about the importance of this facility to the community. If the Minister was more focussed on delivering better health care to all Canberrans than trying to plug a multi-million dollar health budget black-hole, we could have avoided this situation.
“Likewise, the excuse that this is a federal government issue is another poor excuse. After all, ACT Labor have been in government for over 20 years – and federal Labor have been in government for almost three.
“It seriously begs the question: just how incompetent is this Minister when can’t even secure funding from her federal government counterparts?
“And just what steps have been taken to upgrade the facility bit-by-bit?
“I’ve spoken to lots of people who use the centre who are devastated. It provides such an important service for older Canberrans and it’s devastating that the ACT Labor government is closing it down.
“I also feel for the staff who will lose their jobs as a result of the closure.”
It has been reported that Minister Stephen-Smith has no idea what the ACT government will do with the building.
