That the following matter be referred to the Economics Committee for inquiry and report by the first sitting day of April 2009:

The funding, planning, allocation, capital and equity of residential and community aged care in Australia, with particular reference to:

(a)   whether current funding levels are sufficient to meet the expected quality service provision outcomes;

(b)   how appropriate the current indexation formula is in recognising the actual cost of pricing aged care services to meet the expected level and quality of such services;

(c)   measures that can be taken to address regional variations in the cost of service delivery and the construction of aged care facilities;

(d)   whether there is an inequity in user payments between different groups of aged care consumers and, if so, how the inequity can be addressed;

(e)   whether the current planning ratio between community, high- and low-care places is appropriate; and

(f)   the impact of current and future residential places allocation and funding on the number and provision of community care places.

Question agreed to.