Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Counsel assisting the aged care royal commission said, 'Neither the Commonwealth Department of Health nor the aged-care regulator developed a COVID-19 plan specifically for the aged-care sector.' Why didn't the Prime Minister have a plan to protect aged-care residents from COVID-19?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Because we had a plan. We reject the assertion that has been made and have done so in evidence that was given to the royal commission by the Secretary of the Department of Health. On 18 February, the overarching plan for the management of COVID-19, the Australian Health Sector Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), was released. On 27 February, the pandemic was declared and the response plan was activated. On 2 March, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner wrote a letter to all aged-care service providers regarding planning and preparing for COVID-19. On 6 March, the Aged Care COVID-19 Preparedness Forum was held with Minister Colbeck, the chief medical officer and the aged-care sector. On 13 March the Communicable Diseases Network Australia published the National Guidelines for the Prevention, Control and Public Health Management of COVID-19 Outbreaks in Residential Care Facilities. On 17 March, medical expert panel the AHPPC released recommendations to residential aged-care facilities ensuring they are prepared to manage outbreaks for COVID-19. On 28 March the CDNA published updated COVID-19 guidelines for outbreaks in residential care facilities, updated focuses on clinical presentation in older people and updated infection control guidance.

On 2 April a guide to outbreak management and guidance on alerting the department about confirmed COVID-19 cases in aged care was released. On 2 April, the Infection Control Expert Group, which reports to the AHPPC, released guidelines for infection prevention and control in residential aged care. On 22 April, the AHPPC updated advice to residential aged-care facilities about minimising the impact of COVID-19, and that was released on that day. On 19 May the CDNA released guidance for health and residential aged-care settings on considering monitoring workers for the symptoms of COVID-19. On 7 July Minister Colbeck wrote to aged-care providers reminding them to have an updated outbreak management plan. On 14 July the CDNA published updated COVID-19 guidelines for outbreaks in residential aged-care facilities. That update focused on outbreak identification and management guidance, roles and responsibilities of government agencies, and additional members for the outbreak management team.

There was a plan. The plan was regularly updated and advised to the sector, and the plan continues to be implemented, with over a billion dollars of funding from this government.

Mr Snowdon interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Lingiari will cease interjecting.

Mr Snowdon interjecting—

Yes, well, it's a long way to come to get thrown out.