MINISTER MUST ACT SO AUSTRALIANS IN OUR AGED CARE SYSTEM ARE SAFE

Labor is deeply concerned about shocking new allegations of abuse at residential aged care facilities.

 

The Turnbull Government must act immediately so residents in aged care facilities are safe and receiving high quality care.

 

The Turnbull Government is currently sitting on a number of reports into Australia’s aged care system.  These reports, and the serious recommendations they make, must be acted on.

 

As a priority, Labor renews our call for the Turnbull Government to respond to the Review of National Aged Care Quality Regulatory Processes.

 

To date the Government has accepted only one of the Review’s ten recommendations.

 

What’s worse, there is no evidence it has acted on this recommendation – unannounced re-accreditation audits of residential aged care facilities.

 

The Minister for Aged Care must come clean on the implementation of this recommendation.

 

The Minister promised in October with great fanfare that unannounced audits would begin ‘as soon as possible’ and be ‘relentless’.

 

We still haven’t seen the legislation to implement these “unannounced audits”.

 

The new allegations come in the wake of the Turnbull Government’s huge cuts to residential aged care facilities - slashing billions from the Aged Care Funding Instrument.

 

It is critical to the future of the aged care sector that families can have faith their loved ones will be safe and receive a high level of care in residential facilities.

 

Labor recognises that everyday around the country the majority of older Australians are treated with care and respect at residential aged care facilities.

 

Labor is committed to working with the Government and the aged care sector to ensure older Australians can age safely and happily, whether it is in a facility or their own home.