The Australian Community Transport Association (ACTA) was formed in January 2011 and comprises representatives from across Australia to provide a national voice for community transport.
On behalf of the state peak bodies for Community Transport in response to current and future aged care policy reform, ACTA commissioned a consultancy firm – Movement and Place Consulting, to undertake a research project to identify the various funding models and how they affect service delivery.
ACTA has long held a view that a move away from the traditional block or grant funded transport services would immediately result in the sector becoming unsustainable and therefore, not able to support the over 200,000 consumers who rely on safe, reliable and affordable community access.
ACTA’s Advocacy Paper (links below) aims to demonstrate the real-life risks associated with the removal of block funding. It identifies that a change to the current funding model would create significant risk in that consumers of community transport nation-wide would lose this much relied upon service, placing substantial pressure on the aged care system and state and territory infrastructure, ultimately reducing the consumers’ ability to connect with health services and social activities.
Encouragingly the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has also highlighted a move away from grant funding transport services is not recommended. ACTA’s paper provides insights from leading Researcher A/Professor Lyn Phillipson, University of Wollongong supporting the Royal Commission’s recommendations for the continuing of block/grant funding.
Further information about ACTA can be found at https://communitytransportaustralia.org.au/
ACTA Advocacy Paper – Reabling Mobility and the Role of Community Transport Executive Summary
ACTA Advocacy Paper – Reabling Mobility and the Role of Community Transport Report