3 years ago
THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN: SCOTT MORRISON DUCKS FOR COVER
Julie Collins MP
Scott Morrison’s attempt today to deflect blame for the tragedy unfolding in aged care homes is a terrible failure of leadership.
This is sadly true to form for a Prime Minister who is always happy to make an announcement but ducks for cover when things go wrong.
Hundreds of Australian families have tragically lost loved ones in aged care but the Prime Minister won’t even do the decent thing and accept responsibility for his Government’s failings.
“We regulate aged care, but when there is a public health pandemic … then they are things that are managed from Victoria.”
This is sadly true to form for a Prime Minister who is always happy to make an announcement but ducks for cover when things go wrong.
Hundreds of Australian families have tragically lost loved ones in aged care but the Prime Minister won’t even do the decent thing and accept responsibility for his Government’s failings.
“We regulate aged care, but when there is a public health pandemic … then they are things that are managed from Victoria.”
- ABC NEW BREAKFAST, 19 AUGUST 2020
For Scott Morrison there is always someone else to blame even when the responsibility is squarely his own.
The Federal Government is in charge of aged care. The Federal Government regulates aged care, it funds aged care.
The Federal Government has the legislation that determines the quality of aged care older Australians get in Australia.
The Prime Minister waved around his own Government’s document on the health response to COVID-19 in February that clearly stated the Australian Government would be responsible for aged care.
“The Australian Government will also be responsible for residential aged care facilities; working with other healthcare providers to set standards to promote the safety and security of people in aged care and other institutional settings; and establishing and maintaining infection control guidelines, healthcare safety and quality standards.”
- Australian Health Sector Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus, FEBRUARY 2020
If things are not working, if systems are not working, the Federal Government is ultimately responsible for this.
The Aged Care Royal Commission has confirmed Scott Morrison had no workable plan to protect vulnerable older Australians in nursing homes from COVID-19.
We are now seeing the tragic impact of this failure and Scott Morrison’s attempts to deflect blame are an offense to older Australians and their loved ones.
Scott Morrison needs to take responsibility for any failings and provide families and loved ones with answers to what has gone wrong.
The public needs to know that its Government has learnt from previous outbreaks and everything possible is now being done.