Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before moving general business notice of motion No. 774, I inform the chamber that Senators Polley, Sheldon and Griff will also sponsor the motion. On their behalf and on behalf of Senators Walsh, Lines and Watt I move:

That the Senate—

(a) recognises that aged care workers provide essential care and support to older Australians every day;

(b) notes that aged care workers are working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic;

(c) agrees that saying thank you to aged care workers for their hard work and dedication is not enough;

(d) acknowledges that our aged care system is in crisis with:

(i) not enough aged care workers,

(ii) inadequate training, and

(iii) low pay and insecure jobs for the workforce; and

(e) calls on the Government to urgently address the aged care crisis by introducing:

(i) minimum staffing levels,

(ii) better staff training, and

(iii) enhanced job security for the aged care workforce.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian government acknowledges the significant contributions of Australians working in aged care during the COVID-19 pandemic. We've provided targeted support to the workforce during this time, including a retention bonus for care workers, grants to assist workers needing to work on single sites and additional funding for staffing needs. New staffing and funding models are currently being explored by the royal commission, and work is progressing in the Department of Health about what the best model will be. The government will not pre-empt the findings of the royal commission. It's important to get the aged-care model right.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that motion No. 774 be agreed to.