Liberal Leader Mark Parton introduced a motion to the Assembly calling on the Government to undertake a review of palliative care services and to develop a Territory-wide palliative care action plan. This motion was introduced following reports that the ACT Government had not provided ongoing funding for the Community Options Palliative Care Program beyond the 2025-26 financial year.
The Greens and Labor moved amendments to the motion, adding further background and a call for the Government to report back to the Assembly as to who will be the replacement care provider. Their amendments also extended the deadline for the ACT Government to report back to the Assembly with its proposed palliative care action plan by 31 December 2027. These amendments passed unopposed.
Thomas spoke in support of the motion and the amendments, where he expressed concern at the impending closure of Community Options, and the implications this could have for service delivery in the ACT. He also spoke about the need to ensure plans such as the one proposed by this motion require sufficient funding in order to have an impact, reflecting that other action plans seem to have remained largely unfunded and, often, unactioned.
The motion, as amended, was supported unanimously.