Does the NSW Government understand the need for aged care?

Tom Symondson, CEO of the peak body Ageing Australia, said he is aware of at least 11 Not For Profit providers that have been hit by three-percentage-point crown land rent hikes.

He said many of the Not For Profits had "protected" rents because they delivered the public benefit of aged care in local communities. 

"Now the New South Wales government has decided they're not going to protect those rents any more," Tom said. 

"The benefit is they need more aged care beds because there's too many older people stuck in hospital.

"They need to do everything they can to encourage us to keep beds open and build more, not make it more difficult."

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said in February the nation needs to open a new aged care facility every three days for the next 20 years, just to keep pace with the first wave of Baby Boomers turning 80.

Yet, as Tom states, the NSW Government has placed aged care centres in the same category for crown land leases as sporting clubs, which Tom said can raise funding more easily than aged care.

He wants aged care providers should be in a separate classification. 

Tom spoke after Ciarán Foley, CEO of Allambie Heights Village on Sydney's Northern Beaches, said it had rent increases on three of the parcels of land it leases for aged care and retirement living of 465%, 5,278% and 6,234%.