Aged-Care Housing Developments

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for Consumer and Business Services, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:11): I seek leave to make a further ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: The ageing demographic in South Australia is rapidly growing. It is predicted that there will be a 90 per cent increase in the people over 65 years old in South Australia in 30 years' time. Currently, much of the aged-care and retirement living options in South Australia are dated and do not meet the standards we would expect for our own families. However, there is inconsistency in how development plans across the state recognise retirement and aged-care living. The nature of the current planning system does not readily recognise leading and modern methods for delivering aged-care services.

Under the new planning system recently introduced by the state government, we will overcome such inconsistencies and rigidity through the introduction of the statewide Planning and Design Code and new assessment pathways. This new system is currently being implemented over a three to five-year program. In an attempt to address the increasing need for retirement and aged-care living in the interim, by gazettal on 19 April this year, I declared retirement and aged-care living proposals over $20 million in value could be assessed through the major development assessment pathway. This was always contemplated to be a transitional option.

During this transition to the new planning system, the intent of the declaration for retirement and aged-care living was to allow significant proposals to undergo a rigorous assessment process which involves responding to any public submissions and to be considered on their merits. Given the transitional nature of the process, I imposed an end date for the declaration of 30 June next year. On 10 November this year, Life Care advised the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure that they would withdraw three applications lodged under the declaration for aged-care facilities at Glen Osmond, Joslin and Norwood.

Based upon preliminary advice and community feedback on applications lodged under the declaration, it has become clear that the broader community engagement in delivering aged-care services is necessary. Accordingly, I have decided to revoke ahead of time the major development declaration for retirement and aged-care living. There is one live application remaining which was lodged pursuant to the declaration and I am seeking advice from the Crown Solicitor's Office with respect to the effect of revoking the declaration and how that application may best be dealt with.

However, I remain of the firm view that South Australians deserve leading and modern retirement and aged-care living options, provided they respect their local context. I have therefore requested that the independent State Planning Commission prioritise consideration of how the planning system will allow for improved living options for older South Australians, particularly as part of the development of the Planning and Design Code. The community will be engaged in the development of the Planning and Design Code over the next one to two years. This will involve extensive engagement with our community and other interested parties under the Community Engagement Charter.