$100M WA loan scheme opens

Aged care providers are now able to apply for the Western Australian government’s $100 million Low-Interest Loan Scheme.

Up to $20 million per provider is available, with a maximum term of 15 years, to support the construction, upgrade or refurbishment of aged care facilities in WA.

To be eligible, providers must be registered and proposing to deliver scalable and impactful projects that can transform aged care capacity for concessional and supported clients.

The scheme hopes to:

• accelerate capital investment and promote industry growth
• support more efficient service delivery to reduce pressure on health services
• enable industry development in priority locations
• grow the supply of concessional aged care places.

WA provider Juniper has welcomed the scheme for reducing the cost of capital and allowing providers to invest in building with greater confidence.

Juniper chief executive officer Russell Bricknell said it is a sign the state government is prioritising the needs of older people and helping address the shortage of beds.

“Juniper has been advocating for measures like this for some time, particularly as demand for aged care continues to increase across metropolitan, regional and remote WA. Concessional loans of this nature will support providers to build new beds, refurbish ageing facilities and deliver purpose-built environments that better meet the needs of older Western Australians,” he said.

WA Aged Care and Seniors Minister Simone McGurk said the launch of the scheme builds on the state government’s commitment to improving health care and support options for older Western Australians.

“Partnering with aged care providers through this loan scheme ensures older Western Australians will have access to the high-quality residential aged care they deserve,” she said.

“By increasing availability of residential aged care, we will ensure Western Australians can access appropriate aged care support not only in our urban centres but also in regional and remote areas.”

Applications are open until 13 February and can be completed here.

The program guidelines are available here, and answers to frequently asked questions are available here.

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