October 2014: In the state election, the Victorian Labor Party promised to provide $2.5 million to purchase land and assist in the construction of elderly care facilities for the Chinese community.
February 2017: The Victorian Labor Party government invited Chinese community organizations to discuss the development of relevant facilities.
October 5, 2018: The Victorian Labor Party government announced the leasing of land to the Australian Chinese Community Council of Victoria to build a 90-bed Chinese elderly care facility in Springvale South.
October 21, 2018: During the election, the Labor Party promised an additional allocation of $8.25 million to support Chinese elderly care. Out of this, $7.25 million was allocated for purchasing land near Box Hill to assist in the construction of a 90-bed elderly care facility for the Chinese community.
May 8, 2019: The Federal Labor Party promised to allocate $7.25 million if elected to support the construction of the Box Hill elderly care facility. This commitment was also echoed by this magazine challenging the Federal Liberal Minister for Aged Care, Ken Wyatt, who made a similar campaign promise.
July 2021: The Victorian government invited Chinese community organizations to discuss applying for the Templestowe Lower Chinese elderly care facility.
End of September 2021: Deadline for collecting expressions of interest for the application.
December 2021: Invited applicants to submit their applications by March 21, 2022, with the expected announcement of results before the end of September.
March 7, 2023: The government informed the applying organizations that minor changes were made to the leasing conditions to facilitate fundraising for construction costs. It was estimated that the project would be delayed by two years, leading to an increased cost of approximately $7 million.
July 7, 2023: The Minister for Aged Care, along with the project director, stated that the minister would not withdraw the process to re-invite expressions of interest.
Throughout this process, the Victorian Labor Party promised to assist the Chinese community in building elderly care facilities, but they have repeatedly delayed the project. Without additional financial support, they have ignored the urgent needs of the Chinese community. After almost 9 years of making promises, they have yet to fulfill them and have decided to delay the project for another two years, leaving the chosen organization to bear the increasing construction costs.
We hereby request the Victorian government to immediately fulfill its promise and make a decision regarding the application to undertake the Templestowe Lower elderly care facility, and to cancel the decision to reapply.
We earnestly urge all Chinese community organizations and associations in Victorian to collect signatures for the petition from their members and submit them to the Victorian government before the end of August. This will signify the Chinese community’s determination to demand the immediate fulfillment of the Labor Party’s election promise.
Community organizations supporting this petition action, please contact Mr. Raymond Chow, Founder of Sameway (phone: 0422871799, email: raymond@sameway.com.au).