Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader (Tasmania)) Share this | Hansard source

Yes.

The TEMPORARY CHAIR: Okay. Then I'll come back to you, Senator Hinch, and recommit it.

I want to make some comments in relation to the amendments put forward by Senator Hinch. The intent of this legislation is to make provisions for a single set of aged-care quality standards. This is not an appropriate bill to deal with these issues. We will not be supporting these amendments. With regard to staffing arrangements in residential aged-care facilities, the roles of nurses and personal care workers in the care of older Australians is critical and will only become increasingly important. Labor also understands the importance that other health professionals, such as GPs, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and dietitians have on the overall wellbeing of older Australians.

The number of people aged 85 is rapidly increasing compared with younger age groups and is projected to double by 2032. We will need to see a tripling of the aged-care workforce in the next 30 years to provide a high standard of living and care for this growing proportion of older Australians. Given the government dumped Labor's $1.5 billion workforce compact and the supplement after the 2013 election, we have consistently called for the development of a comprehensive aged-care workforce development strategy to address issues of training, staffing levels and an ageing workforce.

The government's finally addressed workforce issues by announcing $1.9 billion for the Aged Care Workforce Strategy Taskforce in the 2017-18 budget. However, when the government made its task force membership public six months later, it failed to include any representatives of the aged-care workforce. This task force report has been with the government for nearly three months. We urge the government to give its full attention to this report and respond now with some urgency. Labor also takes this opportunity to thank the chair of the task force, John Pollaers, for his important work.

We believe that the government must work with unions and aged-care providers to implement this strategy to meet growing demands. This strategy must consider things such as the proposal for 24-hour registered nurse coverage in residential aged-care facilities. Labor also successfully pushed for the reconstitution of the Senate inquiry into the future of Australia's aged-care workforce. The Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs report tabled in parliament in June this year was adopted unanimously by all political parties and made a series of recommendations in relation to workforce development. The Senate report also provided valuable analysis of the issues confronting the aged-care workforce.

Whether it is aged-care providers, workers or consumers the message has to be consistent. The government must take action to ensure we have an adequately skilled and equipped aged-care workforce to care for our rapidly ageing population.