Anthony Chisholm Queensland, Australian Labor Party
2:56 pm
My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Colbeck. People Care Pty Ltd is the company contracted to operate the Earle Haven aged care facility. Can the minister confirm that People Care Pty Ltd has been sanctioned on at least five separate occasions? Can the minister advise the Senate whether People Care Pty Ltd has been sanctioned on any further occasions?
Scott Ryan President
I'll preface this by saying there might have been a slight mix-up with the question order. I'll proceed with this, but we appear to have different documents. If an error has been made, I apologise in advance. I call Senator Colbeck.
Richard Colbeck Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians
2:57 pm
Thank you, Mr President, and thanks, Senator, for the question. I don't have a full list with me of the sanctions against People Care over time, but I'm happy to provide that information to the Senate on notice. But I can confirm that on Saturday, 13 July further sanctions were applied against People Care as a result of the events of 11 July. There are limits to those particular sanctions. There is also further work that's being done by my department with respect to the approved provider status of the facility off the back of those events. Once the work has been completed, with respect to that work, there may be further requirements for People Care Pty Ltd with respect to its ongoing operations, but that work is not yet complete.
Anthony Chisholm Queensland, Australian Labor Party
2:58 pm
Were there any complaints about Earle Haven in the past 12 months, prior to the closure of the aged-care facility? If so, what action will the minister take?
Richard Colbeck Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians
2:59 pm
Thank you for the question. If you're talking about what action I will take versus what action was taken in respect of complaints, they're two very separate matters.
Anthony Chisholm Queensland, Australian Labor Party
I asked were there any complaints.
Richard Colbeck Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians
Senator, I'll have to take the specifics of complaints in relation to the facility on notice.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
You've got a brief. I'm sure you have a copy.
Richard Colbeck Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians
I do have a brief. With respect to what's happening with the facility right now: as I said, there are clearly sanctions in place against the facility that have the impact of seeing the facility not being able to— (Time expired)
Anthony Chisholm Queensland, Australian Labor Party
3:00 pm
Wowsers! We'll see how we go, hey? When did the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission last visit the Earle Haven aged-care facility prior to it closing?
Richard Colbeck Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians
I'm not certain of the actual date when they last visited the facility. I'm happy to provide that information to the chamber on notice, as I've said. So—
Scott Ryan President
Order, Senator Colbeck. Senator Watt on a point of order.
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia
Mr President, the minister hasn't been able to answer the most basic questions about a catastrophic closure of—
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia
Relevance. He has not been able to answer—
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia
any question—
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council
There is clearly no point of order. The minister is absolutely within his rights to take a question on notice, which is what he's done. It is absolutely—
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia
Why doesn't he know?
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council
It isn't a debating point, as you should know. There is absolutely no point of order.
Scott Ryan President
Senator Watt, I grant some liberality in people restating the question. That is a matter entirely for debate. There is an opportunity for that directly after question time. The minister is entitled, as the leader said, to take anything on notice. He is being directly relevant and I call on him to continue, if he wishes.
Richard Colbeck Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians
Thank you, Mr President. As I said, I'm happy to take the specific details of all visits by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner to the facility on notice and provide you with a detailed list, because I think that is a reasonable question for the chamber to ask in respect of what happened last weekend. As I've said quite clearly, there are sanctions in place that severely impact on the capacity of the facility to operate, and until the conditions of those sanctions are met the facility won't be able to operate. (Time expired)
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council
Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.