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

I will take the interjection because that's a complete absurdity. The Serious Incident Response Scheme, introduced by this government, has been designed specifically to properly investigate serious incidents and then report them—and report them publicly. So I reject any assertion from the opposition that we are seeking to cover this up. We have a legislative process that this government put in place to investigate those incidents appropriately and then report them—and report them publicly. That's what we will do. I'm not going to presume here in this place, before the investigation has been completed, and then appropriately reported, as to the cause of it in the way that Senator Watt has. I think it's an absolute disgrace that he comes in here to make those sorts of assertions without the appropriate process to investigate what's going on. I am as concerned as Senator Watt is about the event that occurred at Jeta Gardens. I'm as concerned as anybody. We all are. Those sorts of circumstances should not be occurring in our aged-care facilities. That's why we have over $18 billion on the table, in a five-year reform package, when the Labor Party has absolutely nothing.