Judith Adams (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I think it is very important at this stage to help Senator McLucas remember what the initiatives of the 2006-07 budget were. This budget invests in security and quality of care, which I know she is very passionate about, as am I. There was $8.6 million for increased spot checks of aged care homes by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency. I must say that, during a visit to Port Hedland some three weeks ago, I visited an aged care, low-care facility, and two spot check accreditors were at the facility. I had a very interesting talk with them and the staff who worked there. The staff were delighted that they had been visited by these surveyors and the surveyors were also very happy with what they found, so I think it was a great initiative, especially for rural and regional facilities.

There is also $4.7 million over three years for a major expansion of the Community Visitors Scheme and $1.8 million to extend police checks to all volunteers participating in the scheme. Once again, with regard to my own home town of Kojonup, I must say that the Community Visitors Scheme is very welcome, as is the fact that police checks are carried out on all the volunteers. I think that all the people involved feel very happy to have their police check and that they are able to do their community service in the way they wish to.

In July 2006 the Australian government announced an additional $90.2 million package of reforms aimed at further safeguarding older people in residential aged care homes from sexual and serious physical assault, and I know that Senator McLucas has also been very concerned about this. The budget is investing in the skills of Australia’s aged care staff with $21.6 million over four years to identify and replicate best practice clinical care in aged care homes, $13.4 million in training for the community care workforce and $66 million to continue vital training programs for nurses and aged care staff. Once again, for small rural and regional facilities this is a great incentive. The budget is also investing in aged care services in the community with $19.4 million over four years to extend the viability supplement to community aged care programs in rural areas, $24.2 million for more care services in retirement villages, $20.1 million for indexing of the aged care assessment teams program and $24.2 million over five years for improved aged care assessment arrangements.

The budget meets the special needs of older Australians with $15.1 million over four years for an additional 150 aged care places under the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Strategy, $13.8 million for a national eye health initiative and continued funding of capital assistance to eligible aged care homes in rural and remote areas. Once again, this is a very valuable program. Most aged care facilities are not able to come up with the money or the funding for capital improvement, so that one is especially welcome for rural people.

To follow on, there is $134.2 million for psychogeriatric services, $23.7 million for the National Continence Management Strategy, $18.2 million extending the grace period for income testing to $23.8 million and $1.1 million for the National Seniors Productive Ageing Centre. All these initiatives go to helping all states, including Queensland, with their aged care issues. I am very interested in improved quality of aged care. The government brought in the Aged Care Act 1997, which provides for an accreditation based quality assurance system for aged care homes. As a result, aged care homes must now be accredited to receive Australian government subsidies. Accreditation assesses the performance of homes against 44 expected outcomes. (Time expired)