(a) Was it the expressed hope of the late Mrs Mowll that the establishment of a retirement village was first and foremost to provide accommodation for clergy and missionaries upon retirement?

(b) Was it the practice to give a 50% discount in some cases to those people in the past, and in which cases, and when and why was this practice altered?

(c) What are the precise details of any discount offered to clergy and missionaries in each of the present ARV villages, hostels and nursing homes?

(d) In view of the sharply increasing costs of housing in much of our Diocese, will the ARV re-visit this matter and take into account the provision for retired clergy provided elsewhere such as the provision of housing and a clergy pension in the Church of England?

To which the President replied -

I am advised the answers are as follows -

(a) So far as is known, yes, on the basis that at the time clergy and missionaries generally had very low incomes, no superannuation and no ability to borrow to purchase a retirement home.

(b) The discount given to clergy and missionaries has varied over the years and no specific information is available about a policy of a "50% discount". There has always been, and currently still exists, a strong preference for those in financially difficult circumstances (particularly missionaries) including those with no assets or superannuation.

(c) Discounts given in nursing homes and hostels are controlled by the Federal Government via the Aged Care Act. These are known as concessional residents and ARV has no control over this element. In independent living units the policy is -

(i) all eligible clergy have absolute priority of entry,

(ii) the financial assessment conducted is as follows -

(A) if the person has assets less than $23,000 entry is free,

(B) if the person has assets of more than $23,000 but insufficient assets to pay the full entry contribution, a discount is given to leave net assets of $23,000 after entry,

(C) if the person has assets which allow the full entry contribution to be paid, full payment is required, but with a minimum of $23,000 remaining.

(d) Not at this time.