My question is to the Minister for Ageing, and I ask what supports are available to older residents of Northcote? Thirteen per cent of locals are aged over 65, and they are a diverse mix of cultures and languages, from Irish, Greek, Italian, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Arabic. They enrich our suburbs but also face challenges, whether that is accessing health care as they age, finding social connection and financial security or simply traversing our suburbs with ease. Last week I celebrated Orthodox Easter with the Greek community in the inner north alongside colleagues – the member for Preston, Ged Kearney and Sheena Watt. Among the many conversations was the cost of living and the need to support our cherished seniors groups. Over the years I have been proud to support these organisations with grants for events or upgrades to their meeting places, from the Irish Australian bureau to the Darusalam Society, U3A Darebin, Navarino, Papaflessas and many more. I believe the strength of our community is in part measured by how we treat our elders, and we have a duty to honour and care for them. I look forward to the minister’s response and hearing about the ways our Labor government is supporting older members in our community.

Answer - 16 August 2024

Thank you to the Member for Northcote for her ongoing advocacy for Northcote's older residents and local groups that support and connect older Victorians, especially those who are culturally and linguistically diverse. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the important work that local seniors' groups do in supporting older Victorians to age well and remain connected to their community.

The Allan Labor Government is continuing to support all Victorians to age well through implementation of the Ageing Well Action Plan 2022-2026. The Action Plan is focused on supporting older people to participate and contribute.to their local community and live healthy, active, and purposeful lives. The Action Plan is being implemented in partnership with community organisations, local government, and a range of government departments.

To centre the voice of senior Victorians in policy that impacts them, our government has established the new Senior Victorians Advisory Committee. This diverse group of Victorians will provide a voice to the government on the lived experiences of older Victorians and inform related government priorities and programs, including the implementation of the Ageing Well Action Plan. Applications for the Committee have now closed, and the membership of will be announced later this year. Further information can be found here: seniorsonline.vic.gov.au/advisory-committee

The Labor Government continues to invest in initiatives that celebrate and empower older Victorians, including the state-wide Victorian Seniors Festival and Victorian Senior of the Year Awards. The Victorian Seniors Festival provides opportunities for older Victorians to participate in free or low-cost events and activities during the month of October each year. The festival collaborates with community, cultural and sporting organisations along with 79 local councils to promote activities and events.

The Allan Labor government celebrates our multicultural seniors and their unique contributions to Victoria. We continue to support multicultural seniors through the delivery of our highly successful Multicultural Seniors Support Program. This program connects and supports Victorian seniors from our diverse communities to engage with their communities through activities to improve cultural appreciation and social cohesion, and also reduces social isolation and fosters social connections. Multicultural and multifaith groups can also apply for grants through the Victorian Multicultural Commission, to fund projects and events that support, celebrate or promote their culture, faith or community Multicultural grants | multiculturalcommission.vic.gov.au

The Victorian Government has recently announced the launch of the Pride in Ageing program, which is a four-year pilot program to foster social connections for ageing LGBTIQA+ Victorians. Pride in Ageing will build local and regional partnerships with councils, libraries, community organisations and health and aged care services to support new approaches to community engagement and connection for older LGBTIQA+ people. Further information can be found here - https://www.dffh.vic.gov.au/news/pride-ageing-program-support-older-lgbtiqa-victorians.

There are also opportunities year-round for older people to participate in their community through memberships of clubs such as University of the 3rd Age (U3A), Life Activities Clubs and through various seniors' groups relevant to each older person's needs and interest.

I once again thank the Member for Northcote for her commitment to engaging and supporting older Victorians.
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Ingrid Stitt MP

Minister for Mental Health
Minister for Ageing
Minister for Multicultural Affairs
Date: 15 / 08 / 2024
 BAC-PARL-4392