Exact values — how to read the cards
New operational places have slowed to a trickle
Counted change in operational residential places, 30 June to 30 June. The reported national need is about 10,600 a year.
Every state is now under 78 places per 1,000
Operational residential places per 1,000 people aged 70+, 30 June 2025. The line is the planning benchmark.
Exact values — national series
Where the residential place ratio is lowest
Each region is coloured by the Department of Health published ratio of operational residential places per 1,000 people aged 70+, 30 June 2025. Hover a region for the place count and the gap to 78.
Biggest gaps in number of places
Places still needed to reach 78 per 1,000, using each region’s published ratio. A large city can have a moderate ratio and still be missing the most places.
Exact values — every planning region
Reported by the ABC, not counted in this dataset
South Australia’s place ratio has fallen the whole decade
Operational residential places per 1,000 people aged 70+. South Australia added few places while the older population grew.
South Australia is not the lowest ratio
30 June 2025. The Northern Territory, the ACT and Tasmania have fewer places per 1,000 older people. South Australia’s hospital queue is the one state governments have put a number on.
Exact values — South Australia by year
Extra places each year to 2031, if today’s homes stay open
ABS medium population projection (series B). “Hold today’s ratio” keeps each state’s June 2025 ratio. “Reach 78” gets to the planning benchmark by 30 June 2031.
The 70+ population keeps growing after the place ratio has already fallen
ABS estimated resident population to 2025, then the medium projection’s growth applied to that estimate through 2031. Australia.
Exact values — 2031 by state
The pace last year is about a tenth of what it takes to stand still
Australia, residential operational places a year. Blue bars are reported claims. The others are counted from the stocktake and the ABS projection.