Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Senator Richard Colbeck, has launched a withering attack on the Opposition Labor Party on the first anniversary of the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
“The Morrison Government has responded to all 148 recommendations in a showcase of its determination to protect the lives of senior and vulnerable Australians in care,” he said.
“At a time when we should be working to attract new people to aged care and grow the sector, Labor keeps telling Australians that aged care worker conditions are bad, that the jobs are not worthwhile.”
The Morrison Government called the Royal Commission in 2018 – but what has it done in the 12 months since the Final Report was released?
Minister Colbeck said the Federal Government has committed more than $18.3 billion to fund changes recommended by the Royal Commission. It has a five-year plan, as previously reported by The Weekly SOURCE, to take up in full or in part 126 of the Commissioners’ 148 recommendations – with another 12 to be further considered and six not accepted.
“The Government has made significant progress under the five pillars of reform, including a 32% increase in the number of direct care workers in residential care, improved nutrition through the $10 Basic Daily Fee supplement, expansion of the National Aged Care Advocacy Program and improved access to quality aged care services in rural and remote areas,” said Senator Colbeck.
The Morrison Government has set up the National Aged Care Advisory Group and the Council of Elders, which is chaired by COTA Australia CEO Ian Yates (pictured). It also says more than 33,000 extra training places have been created for people who want to work in aged care, and 191 registered nurses have joined the new Aged Care Transition to Practice Program.
However, the Australian Aged Care Collaboration (AACC) says there is still much work ahead to solve the key structural issues identified by the Royal Commission.
The Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation (ANMF) organised rallies in part of the country on Tuesday, calling for at least one registered nurse on site at an aged care home at all times and minimum mandated care hours.
Minister Colbeck maintained, however, that Labor was not fit to oversee Australia’s aged care system.
“Australia cannot trust Labor to deliver in aged care,” he said.
“When they had the chance, they would not even commit to a Royal Commission. In Government, Labor hid their record.
“Despite having long wait times in both home care and residential care, disregard for quality and safety and an underfunded system they said that they had a world class system. It was all words and no substance.
“Labor went to the last election with $387 billion in new tax proposals and not a single additional dollar for home care, aged care quality or workforce and nothing for mainstream residential care.
“The Morrison Government has listened to the experiences of the Australians and is acting to ensure a stronger future for the sector and quality care for our loved ones.”
