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1. What was proposedFiona CarrickIndependent · Crossbench
   Read the original wording (490 words)

   That this Assembly: (1) notes that: (a) Canberra faces a significant shortage of dedicated respite beds. Demand for respite care will continue to grow as the ACT population ages and access to timely respite is essential to sustaining more than 58,000 carers and enabling older people to remain living at home; (b) Burrangiri is a 15-bed, purpose-built residential respite facility that delivers close to half of the ACT’s dedicated short-term and emergency respite care for older Canberrans with moderate to high care needs due to the 24/7 registered nurse care. Noting that carers cannot book the 14-bed Baptist Care clinical program designed to support patients transitioning from hospital; (c) closing Burrangiri would significantly limit access to respite with registered nurse care and the ability of carers to support older Australians with moderate or high care needs; (d) the Government claims respite is a federal responsibility. On 6 March 2026, the Commonwealth committed to Burrangiri being eligible to apply for a Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) grant to provide Commonwealth supported cottage respite services, ensuring older Canberrans and their families have access to care; (e) the Government claims the Burrangiri building is not fit-for-purpose based on a study commissioned to repurpose the building to a residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation centre. A response to a 213A order for production fully redacted the study (GHD Alcohol and Drug Facility – Site Feasibility Study); (f) the Government claims that the community does not want a gap in service provision. The community’s concern was with closure with no plan for a replacement service. Carers would generally support temporary closure for refurbishment if this leads to a better and sustainable service; (g) on 21 April 2025, the Commonwealth Government committed $10 million to new capital infrastructure to deliver more aged care respite beds in the ACT; and (h) service providers have indicated they would be interested in using the Commonwealth’s $10 million to add respite capacity and operate Burrangiri; (2) further notes that: (a) lower-needs respite is delivered through cottage-style facilities embedded in local communities; and (b) a combination of higher-needs care, such as that provided at Burrangiri, and lower-needs cottage-based care is essential to meet the diverse requirements of carers and the people they support; and (3) calls on the Government to: (a) work with the Commonwealth Government to finalise the post mid-2027 funding model for respite services currently funded under CHSP block funding, including Burrangiri funded as a cottage; (b) immediately release the unredacted GHD Alcohol and Drug Facility – Site Feasibility Study; (c) undertake an Expression of Interest process, to commence by May 2026, to identify not-for-profit Registered Aged Care Providers willing to invest the Commonwealth’s $10 million to refurbish, extend and operate Burrangiri so that it can deliver additional aged care respite beds with 24/7 registered nurse care; and (d) provide a final report to the Assembly for (3)(a) to (3)(c) by the first sitting day in October 2026.

2. Change by the moverFiona CarrickIndependent · Crossbench26 March 2026

   Grouped by key words as: rewrote the proposal, changed a date or deadline, changed a number or target, added reporting or consultation, turned an action into a review.

   The exact wording of this change

   Omit all text after paragraph (1)(d), substitute: “(e) CHSP grant funding continues under the new Aged Care Act 2024 until 30 June 2027 and will then transition to a new funding model currently being developed by the Commonwealth; (f) all respite facilities must comply with the National Construction Code (NCC). The key issue is the building classification applied under the NCC, which determines the applicable technical requirements, including: (i) small cottage respite (Class 1b) (ii) community respite centres like Burrangiri (Class 3) (iii) residential aged care respite (Class 9c) (g) the ACT Government has claimed that the Burrangiri building is not ‘fit for purpose’ based on the 2025 GHD Alcohol and Drug Facility – Site Feasibility Study. The study states that the ‘building is assumed to be classified as a Class 9c aged care building, however could be a Class 3’ (p 6). If Burrangiri is appropriately classified as a Class 3 building, it is capable of meeting NCC requirements without the major Class 9c-level refurbishment assumed in the study; (h) the NCC requires Burrangiri to be safe for people who can still get themselves out of a building (Class 3), not to function like a nursing home designed for people who cannot (Class 9c); (i) a modern respite policy would recognise different types of respite, along with their respective building classifications and funding requirements, to ensure service sustainability and regulatory clarity; (j) the ACT Government has stated that the community does not want a gap in service provision. The community’s concern has been with closure without a clear replacement plan, and carers would generally support a temporary service reconfiguration or closure for refurbishment where this results in a sustainable long-term respite service; (2) further notes that: (a) on 21 April 2025, the Commonwealth Government committed $10 million to new capital infrastructure to deliver more aged care respite beds in the ACT; and (b) service providers have indicated they would be interested in using the Commonwealth’s $10 million to add respite capacity and operate Burrangiri; and (3) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) work with the Commonwealth Government to: (i) confirm, through an independent and transparent process, the appropriate NCC classification of Burrangiri as either: (A) a Class 3 community respite centre; or (B) a Class 9c residential aged care facility, noting that Class 9c classification would require substantial refurbishment; (ii) enter into an ACT-Commonwealth Memorandum of Understanding to clarify governance arrangements, decision-making responsibilities and processes to utilise the Commonwealth’s $10 million capital commitment to refurbish and expand Burrangiri to increase the number of aged care respite beds in the ACT; (iii) ensure that Burrangiri remains eligible for the funding arrangements that replace the CHSP cottage respite block funding system from July 2027; and (iv) invite suitable service providers to submit proposals to refurbish, expand and operate Burrangiri from July 2027; and (b) provide a progress report to the Assembly for (3)(a) by 11 June 2026 and quarterly reports thereafter.”.

   Agreed on the voices. No individual votes were recorded. Agreed. The Minutes don't print the final text, so we can't check the wording.

3. Change to Fiona Carrick's changeRachel Stephen-SmithLabor · Minister26 March 2026

   Grouped by key words as: added a new call or point, changed a date or deadline.

   The exact wording of this change

   to Ms Carrick’s amendment: Omit all words in paragraphs (3)(a)(iii) and (iv), substitute: “(iii) finalise the post mid-2027 funding model for respite services, including seeking to ensure that Burrangiri or an equivalent service is eligible for the funding arrangements that replace the CHSP cottage respite block funding system from July 2027;”. Ms Stephen-Smith addressing the Assembly— An incident having occurred in the public gallery— Suspension of sitting: The Speaker, at 4.08 pm, suspended the sitting and announced that the Chair would be resumed at the ringing of the bells. Resumption of sitting: The bells having been rung, the Speaker resumed the Chair at 4.14 pm. Ms Stephen-Smith, who had already spoken, by leave, again addressed the Assembly. Debate continued.

   Agreed on the voices. No individual votes were recorded. Agreed. The Minutes don't print the final text, so we can't check the wording.

4. What the Assembly decidedOutcome not captured