Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

There have been a lot of words thrown around this chamber in the last couple of speeches and through the debate we've had not just today but also over the last couple of days, and there will be a lot of words thrown around in the weeks ahead. Labor's been accused of confecting outrage over the deaths of vulnerable Australians. Labor's been accused of using cheap politics. There's nothing cheap about the lives of vulnerable Australians.

When the minister today was given an opportunity to explain himself, he referred to the motion in the Senate as 'tragic'. It is tragic that vulnerable Australians relied on this minister and relied on this government to take care of them during this outbreak, because we know that there were warnings, we know that the government received a report entitled Neglectand we know that there were warnings of outbreaks and what outbreaks would do in an aged-care facility and to older Australians. But still this government and this minister didn't have a plan, and now they're trying to shift blame, shift responsibility and direct focus away from where it should be. Where it should be is on this minister and his job, and he should be resigning.

Under this government's watch, 450 aged-care residents have died, and there are currently 890 active cases in residential aged care. These aren't just numbers. This isn't a debate just about numbers. These are real people, family members and elderly residents. Our most vulnerable Australians are dying without their families by their sides because this government failed to develop a plan for the aged-care sector. The lack of a plan culminated in a situation where a third of all COVID deaths in Australia have occurred in aged-care homes, but we know that the government was warned.

There is only one word to sum up this government's response, and it is 'neglect'. They had a report entitled Neglect. They knew. They had warnings. And now they want to shirk responsibility. It is very difficult for this government to shirk responsibility when they had warning after warning that this would happen. The warning bells were ringing in March, but the government wasn't listening. It is now September, and their inaction has been staggering.

The other curious thing that has happened as the aged-care minister walked away from responsibility and shrugged off responsibility in this chamber is those opposite having to come to his defence. In doing so, they've made one of the most illogical, circular arguments I think I've ever heard in this chamber. First of all they say, 'We've listened to the best medical health advice about aged-care failures, and it's heaps worse in other countries, so we're doing okay.' Then they say, 'Actually, this is a result of community transmission in Victoria.' They want to lay the blame on somebody else—on another government and on other people who are not responsible for aged care. Then they say, 'Victoria needs a road out of lockdown.' They say, 'Premiers need to stop making political decisions about borders.' They say, 'Premiers aren't listening to health advice and expert advice.'

Can I tell you that one of the reasons that people in other states are terrified about COVID-19 coming into their community is that this government is responsible for aged-care and they know that this government and this minister will not take care of them. So instead of trying to shrug the blame off onto someone else, why don't you do your job? (Time expired)