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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Since the beginning of the year, at least 622 aged-care residents have died of COVID, more than double the number of deaths in the whole of last year. It's only 8 February. Will the Prime Minister admit responsibility for this crisis?

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

The pandemic takes a heavy toll in this country, as it has over the course of this pandemic. Since the beginning of this year, it is true that, in aged-care facilities, 587 people, as at 7 February, have died with COVID. I note also that, since 1 January of this year, up until 28 January, some 4,141 people who were in aged care have passed away. Since the onset of omicron, some 682 people who had omicron have died in aged-care facilities, and some 9,141 people who were residents in aged care have passed away. It has been an incredibly tough time for those who have been working in those facilities, with the onset of omicron, and it has been incredibly tough for those families who have had to say goodbye to loved ones over that period of time. At every occasion, throughout the course of this pandemic, we have sought to provide every single support we possibly can to ensure that we can assist both the workforce and those who are engaged in providing care to people in those facilities.

While less than 10 per cent of those who have passed away in residential aged-care facilities may have died with COVID, the other issue that the government has been very focused on is not just those who have had COVID but the quality of care that can be provided to people living in residential aged-care facilities during this very challenging time. Some may wish to pretend that the pandemic and COVID cannot have an impact on the most vulnerable in our communities, but that would be naive, that would be misleading and that would be false. Our government will continue to do everything we can to support those in residential aged-care facilities and those working with them, as not only in Australia but around the world we work to try and provide support to those who are most vulnerable. We would seek the support of all, whether in this chamber or elsewhere, in joining together to help provide support and assurance to those who need our help and are getting that help, whether it's the clinical support they're getting through the aged-care facilities or, indeed, most recently, even now, help from members of our own defence forces who are going into support that important work. We will continue to make every effort, working with state and territory governments all around the country, to provide every support we can through this pandemic, where Australia has one of the lowest fatality rates in the world. (Time expired)