Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Senator Colbeck. Last week, a 79-year-old woman who had waited 3½ hours for her pain medication to be provided at the Jeta Gardens nursing home ended up throwing herself off a third-floor balcony. She broke her leg and multiple other bones. The incident report lists neglect as a contributing factor. Only a registered nurse can deliver pain drugs, and, on that day, there was only one nurse rostered for more than 160 residents.

Minister, all week I have been asking you about the Jeta Gardens nursing home, about which you were warned twice by your own regulator. Why are older Australians in residential aged care still being neglected by this minister in his aged-care system?