Concerns about the silence on the recommendations from the Aged Care Minister Anika Wells’ Aged Care Taskforce, which have been with the Government since December last year, have been confirmed today by an informed article in The Australian, "Aged-care reforms placed on the budget backburner":
“Ms Wells’s spokesman said the government was “carefully considering our response to the Aged Care Taskforce. We will continue to engage parliamentarians on the opportunity and responsibility we all share to provide better aged care into the future. “
No future date for a response, let alone an implementation of the Taskforce recommendations, was given.
I wrote in March that the release of the recommendations was "all about shifting the ground and conversations".
The time for those conversations is over.
Mr Albanese promised as part of his election propaganda that he would deliver quality and respectful aged care. He was elected on 22 May, 2022, almost two years to Budget day next week.
His Government has had the Taskforce recommendations for 21 weeks (nearly half a year). Residential and home care operators have been on hold for both the recommendations and finalisation of the new Aged Care Act.
Management and boards of operators can’t strategise, can’t plan, can’t act until these recommendations are responded to. Meanwhile wages are increasing, construction costs are increasing, quality executives are wondering if this is the sector to commit their career to.
Most importantly, quality care is increasingly difficult to deliver.
Chris Mamarelis, CEO of aged care provider Whiddon, this week called on the Government and the Prime Minister to be brave, and commit to the Taskforce recommendations. He could have also added the word ‘responsible’.
Perhaps words are cheap.
