Townsville carers invited to help shape Queensland unpaid care policy

Townsville carers are being invited to contribute to a Queensland-wide consultation on how unpaid care is recognised and valued across the state. The session, held in Townsville on 19 June, offers local residents the opportunity to influence policy discussions around an often-invisible but essential component of community welfare.

Unpaid care work, including aged care support, disability assistance and childcare provided by family members, underpins much of Australia's social safety net yet remains underrecognised in policy and economic frameworks. The consultation aims to gather lived experience from carers themselves to inform future recognition and support measures.

For Townsville's carers, participation offers a direct voice in state-level policy development. As regional Queensland faces particular challenges in aged care and disability support due to geographic dispersion and workforce constraints, input from Townsville carers can help ensure policy responses reflect the realities of regional care provision.

Sources: townsvilletimes.com.au.