Illawarra aged care providers and workers have welcomed the federal opposition's support for a rise in aged care workers' salaries.
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In his budget reply speech on Thursday, opposition leader Anthony Albanese said that if elected, a Labor government would support - and fund - the outcome of the work value case currently before the Fair Work Commission.
The Health Services Union, which represents aged care workers, is currently pushing for a 25 per cent wage increase.
Mark Sewell, CEO of Illawarra-based aged care provider Warrigal said the sector was united in support for a wage rise.
"The employer groups and unions are all in agreement that there should be an uplift in aged care salaries," he said.
Illawarra aged care worker Shellee Gibson said the wage increase was a long time coming.
"It's fantastic, we have been waiting nearly 10 years," she said.
The Liberal government has not indicated its support for a permanent increase in the wages of aged care workers and has instead promised two cash handouts of $400 each for aged care workers in the 2022 federal budget.
The budget also included 80,000 additional home care packages as part of an $18.8 billion aged care package.
"More and more senior Australians are choosing to live independently in their homes for longer," Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Richard Colbeck said.
"Our goal is for all Australians to feel confident about accessing high quality and safe aged care where and when they need it. Helping the aged care sector to grow its workforce, in both residential and in-home care, is a crucial part of this."
Mr Sewell welcomed the package however said that addressing low wages was fundamental.
"Getting the staff to stay [in aged care] with the low wage levels is a big hurdle that wasn't addressed."
Labor candidate for Cunningham Alison Byrnes said the opposition's plan would support workers in the sector to get the pay they deserved.
"Our aged care system is in crisis," she said.
"Workers are at breaking point and they need help from a government who cares about them, who's prepared to pay them properly and prepared to recognise the work they do."
In addition to wage increases, Mr Albanese outlined that a Labor government would support the recommendation of the aged care royal commission to require the elderly receive at least 215 minutes of care and that a registered nurse be on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Whitlam MP Stephen Jones said for families in the Illawarra this would mean adequate care.
"It's about aged care staff having time to do the basics, showering, clothing and dressing somebody's wounds," he said.
Aged care worker Linda Davies said workers did not have the time to provide the care they wanted to give.
"Families have put someone that they love in our hands, so we need to give them everything that we can," she said.
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