On 1 February 2024, Kiama Council selected a buyer for Blue Haven Aged Care. Despite holding a Request for Tender (RFT) in late 2023, they declined all tenders received under the RFT and instead chose their preferred tenderer.
The preferred tenderer was named in a confidential report but as of mid March 2024 they have not been announced.
Besides selling their biggest asset, council have also been conducting service reviews of other teams, suggesting further cuts to council jobs.
While council’s decision is disappointing, we have been campaigning for over two years to save Blue Haven (one of the few remaining publicly owned aged care facilities left in NSW) and do not intend to stop now.
We have already begun campaigning around anti-privatisation and will continue to do so once council announce the buyer and service review outcomes.
The noticeable shift in public perception in our favour leading up to the 1 February Extraordinary Council meeting is encouraging and something we will continue to build upon as we get closer to the 2024 Local Government Elections.
If you live in Kiama and would like to be involved in future campaign efforts, contact Southern Organisers Aarron Vann or Rudi Oppitz
