Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Pratt for raising this very important issue of aged care and our government's commitment to aged care. Senator Pratt said our government refuses to address the issues in aged care, which is patently wrong. It was our government that set up the aged-care royal commission; our government that accepted the final report of the royal commission, which had 148 recommendations; our government that has accepted or accepted in principle 142 of the 148 recommendations; and it was under our government, that, as at January 2022, 135 of those recommendations are being addressed, either wholly or in part. We have already implemented measures within the aged-care reform package in the 2021-22 budget context and, subsequently, through the MYEFO process.

We have a five-year implementation plan underpinned by five pillars. We are improving the home-care packages, which support our senior Australians who choose to remain in their homes. We know that so many of our senior Australians want that choice; they want to be able to stay at home, retain their dignity and be close to their friends and family. We are improving and simplifying residential aged-care services and access, so that for those who have to go into a residential aged-care facility it is easier to access. We're improving the quality and safety monitoring of aged-care facilities, and are supporting growing a better-skilled workforce. We have measures in place, and we have new legislation for stronger governance principles through that process.

We know that, throughout COVID, our aged-care workers have gone above and beyond their usual requirements. We know that the aged-care workforce has been front and centre, under the spotlight, during this pandemic, and we know that the aged-care environment is very vulnerable to the various waves of COVID. But that's why, instead of refusing to address it—as Senator Pratt has alleged—we have from the outset put measures in place to help our aged-care community respond to the challenges that COVID puts in front of us.

Since August last year, we have had rapid antigen tests at the point of care being used within aged-care facilities—first as a trial and then rolled out more broadly. That underpinned the process of moving to rapid antigen tests at home. From our National Medical Stockpile, we made sure that there were masks, gowns, gloves, goggles, face shields, hand sanitiser and other PPE provided to aged-care sector facilities. Our Defence Force is providing strategic and logistical support to the aged-care sector. From the very outset, from the first case of COVID within an aged-care facility, we set up a surge workforce. To date, more than 80,000 shifts have been filled by this surge workforce when our aged-care staff have been isolated due to getting COVID or being a close contact. Across the country, 100 per cent of our aged-care facilities have received a booster clinic. More than 76 per cent of eligible aged-care residents have now received their booster shot.

We have remained flexible and adaptive throughout COVID, while still remaining focused on our commitment and our response to the aged-care royal commission. This government is delivering once-in-a-generation change through our response to the royal commission and through $18.3 billion of support for aged-care sector reform.