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

As I said, I respect the views of my friend and colleague Mr Broadbent, but the fact is that we've actually called a royal commission to look at the concerns and the issues within the aged-care sector and the opportunity exists for any of Mr Broadbent's concerns to be addressed as a part of that process—an opportunity which, I note, has been taken up by others among my colleagues. Senator Fierravanti-Wells has made a submission to the royal commission, appropriately, because she had some concerns that she wanted to raise with the royal commission and have addressed. The opportunity exists for any Australian to make a submission to the royal commission. I don't concede that the government has ignored or dismissed Mr Broadbent's concerns, because we are now conducting a royal commission to take a forensic look at the entire aged-care sector and provide us with recommendations so that we can then act to improve the delivery of aged care in this country.