Jenny Ware (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about HammondCare at Hammondville in my electorate. HammondCare started caring for elderly Australians on this site 90 years ago. Today it features five care homes operated by staff with global, industry led expertise in dementia and palliative care. We are living in a world where we are living for longer but, sadly, many more Australians are being diagnosed with dementia. The site at Hammondville is already home to the largest number of dementia-specific care beds in Australia. It has been a privilege for me to visit the Hammondville site with GM Michael Cooney on many occasions, and I particularly acknowledge and commend the staff for the personalised and compassionate care that they provide within these homes. The staff are providing homes—they're not facilities and units; they are homes—and caring for our most vulnerable.

Today, HammondCare announced construction of the Hammondville 3 and 4 projects, which will build an additional 90 beds in new care homes to support people living with dementia. While I am disappointed I could not be there, I wanted to use this opportunity to congratulate all of those involved in this project, from the beginning stage to delivery. A formal tree planting ceremony was held this morning by CEO Mike Baird. As this is Mike Baird's last public activity as HammondCare CEO, I take this opportunity to thank him and congratulate him for his years of service to HammondCare.