To mark National Carers Week, the Andrews Labor Government has today moved to better recognise and support carers.
The Labor Government will work in partnership with Carers Victoria to develop a Carers Statement which will outline how we best support Carers interactions with government.
Carers Victoria will consult with carers, existing support groups and organisations on the statement, which will be unveiled next year.
Unpaid carers support people with different care needs including people with chronic disease, mental illness, people with a disability, older people with care needs and those receiving end-of-life or palliative care.
There are more than 773,000 carers in Victoria, with more than 217,000 identifying as the primary carer for another person.
Carers make a substantial contribution to our community, with the OECD putting the cost of replacing carers in Victoria at more than $15 billion annually.
The Government is also supporting carers prepare for the National Disability Insurance Scheme by funding Carers Victoria to create and manage a new online hub called Everything Carers.
Everything Carers is a new online portal that allows carers to connect, share information on topics important to them and promote peer support groups in their community.
It’s funded through the Labor Government’s $10 million package, which is funding 16 organisations to support Victorians with disabilities, their families, service providers and staff transition to the NDIS.
For more information about Carers Week or support in your area visit
Quotes attributable to Parliamentary Secretary for Carers Mary-Anne Thomas
“Carers Week is about celebrating the huge role that Victorians who are in a caring role play – and saying thank you.”
“Over the coming months, we’ll consult on our Carers Statement to ensure we’re best supporting carers when they need to interact with us.”
“Carers are going through a big transition as we roll out the NDIS – Everything Carers will ensure they are getting the most up to date information to best support the people they are caring for.”
Quotes attributable to Carers Victoria CEO Caroline Mulcahy
“Family carers really are the backbone of the long term care system and deserve our support.”
“To deliver real and sustainable outcomes for carers, Victoria requires a whole of government, state-wide strategy – Carers Victoria is ideally placed to work with the government to develop and implement this.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020