Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I second the motion. The final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety obviously presents a shockingly grim account of the reality for many people ageing in Australia. Indeed, you need look no further than the title of the report to see what is lacking in aged care in this country: quality and safety, though just as easily I would add care, dignity and respect. No wonder any member of the House or at least any member with compassion and understanding of good public policy would not only acknowledge Australia's aged-care crisis but also support this motion from the member for Mayo.

Care, dignity and respect for older Australians are surely not too much to ask of our rich and lucky country. But, shamefully, until now it has been too much for a series of federal governments to deliver, raising the question why. Why is it that we have failed so spectacularly to adequately support this vulnerable group—victims most often not able to advocate for themselves?

In the electorate of Clark, as across the country, the royal commission uncovered many examples of substandard care, neglect and abuse. Indeed, my community was confronted with heartbreaking stories of older Australians suffering in an aged-care system that failed dismally to protect and support them. Again, it's no wonder that, if only because of the volume and severity of these reports of elder abuse, we have lost trust in the integrity of service providers and the regulation of an industry which has been shown to prioritise revenue over care.

However, despite the commission's devastating revelations, I do believe we are now presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fundamentally change and improve our aged-care services. Indeed, the commission has provided a clear blueprint on how to achieve this reform, and it is imperative we make the most of the opportunity to overturn the failures much the past. But there must be adequate funding allocated to drive this change, and it must be used for this purpose and not to line the pockets of service providers. Moreover, we must ensure that there are tangible changes to the care for the elderly and their families, with adequate safeguards to protect older people and relieve their suffering.

It's way beyond time to acknowledge that older Australians deserve and need the first-class aged-care system our country is capable of delivering—one underpinned by a rights based act where funding is based on need and essential workers are supported through improved training and wages. But systemic change such as this not only needs to be delivered; it also must be seen to be delivered and delivered properly. Unfortunately, though, based on past experiences, the community has little confidence in the ability of any federal government to manage such a monumental task, and that makes this government's challenge all the more difficult. We have seen, for instance, little reform in the banking sector following the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry, and we have seen appalling lack of action on the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. This time it must be different. Australians deserve to be reassured that the work of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will not be in vain, and we as a nation need to see evidence that things are changing for the better. At the same time, it is important for the government to win back the trust of Australians and restore their faith in the government's ability to deliver and monitor aged care in this country.

To that end, I believe that confidence in the implementation of the essential aged-care service reforms will only be achieved through an independent review and analysis of progress against the commission's recommendations, and that is why I support the proposed Select Committee on Oversight of the Implementation of Recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Care, dignity and respect—that is what all Australians must have, and we need someone other than the government to reassure us that we're on the right path to achieving it for older Australians, in particular, through the implementation of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommendations. That's what this motion proposes, and that's why it has my full support.

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