Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) Share this | Hansard source

Can I add my thoughts and condolences, and, I'm sure, everybody in the chamber's thoughts and condolences, to the families of residents in all aged-care facilities, and in fact all of those who have lost loved ones to coronavirus. It's had a particularly devastating impact at Newmarch. I've already asked my department to provide me, at an appropriate time, a report of what has occurred there, just as I did with Dorothy Henderson Lodge. My understanding is that report was considered by national cabinet a week or so ago.

It is important that people understand properly what has occurred within these facilities. It is and has been extremely difficult for the families and for the residents. We've seen only too graphically and publicly the concern that they have expressed when they haven't had appropriate levels of communication and information as to what's happening with their loved ones within the facilities.

I am very pleased to say, though, that the interventions of the government and the resources provided by the government have considerably assisted in that respect. There have now been three interventions by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner: an intervention in respect of assistance with senior management capacity within the facility; a communications instruction to Anglicare via Newmarch to provide much better information to families, which I know, from talking to them, is giving them much more comfort with respect to the circumstance of their loved ones; and, of course, the intervention last week with an instruction to comply that was issued by the quality and safety commissioner.

I think we all want to understand the lessons from what's occurred at Newmarch. We continue to work very closely with all of the health authorities that are involved, at the state and Commonwealth levels, in the interests of their residents and their families, because it is important that they get the best possible care.