Senate debates

Tuesday, 8 February 2022

Questions without Notice

COVID-19: Aged Care

2:28 pm

Photo of Murray WattMurray 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. Since 1 January this year, Jeta Gardens Aged Care home, south of Brisbane, has experienced a major COVID-19 outbreak. Fifteen residents have died, and a total of 100 residents and 82 staff have tested positive. When did booster vaccines first start being administered at Jeta Gardens?

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

Senator Watt is right. There has been quite a significant outbreak at Jeta Gardens, unfortunately, and the numbers that he's quoted in his question are the latest figures that I've had. Fortunately, I'm able to say that the situation at Jeta Gardens has stabilised. There was a lot of concern over the weekend. I am cognisant of the question, Senator Watt, so I'm not trying to—there was a lot of concern over the weekend at Jeta Gardens when somebody, quite irresponsibly, started a rumour that the facility was to be evacuated by the Defence Force. It caused a huge media storm. This is an important point, because it's caused enormous distress to the families. I will deal with the booster clinic, and then I will deal with the rest of it.

The booster clinic was scheduled and brought forward from its original date at Jeta Gardens, and it occurred on 31 January. There are a number of other methods through which aged-care residents can get a booster shot. They can get a GP or pharmacist to come and do it. They can attend a GP clinic. The facility can run its own clinic, and we will pay for the cost of that.

I just want to go back to the point that I've made, because it's a serious one. The distress caused to the families by the clearly irresponsible rumours that were started in Queensland on the weekend is outrageous— irresponsibly fanned by the opposition, I might say, and unfortunately reported by the media before being— (Time expired)

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Senator Watt, a supplementary question?

2:31 pm

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

In damning reports issued in March and September last year, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission found that care at Jeta Gardens failed to meet aged-care quality standards, including the safety of residents' care and the facility's preparedness for a COVID-19 outbreak. Why did the minister fail to take urgent action last year in response to his own regulator's repeated findings of noncompliance?

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Minister?

Minister, resume your seat. Senator Watt, to interject before the minister has even had a chance to answer the question is highly disorderly. Minister, you have the call.

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

Throughout this pandemic the regulator has done its job, which is what it did last year. The regulator worked with Jeta Gardens to bring them back to compliance. That is the role the regulator has. The regulator has taken further regulatory action in relation to Jeta Gardens, and the government has taken additional assistance measures as well as the outbreak has progressed, with clinical first responders and an Aspen team in there to support the facility in relation to their infection control procedure and their processes within the facility. We have continuously monitored the facility and we have put in place the measures and the additional resources that have been required to support the facility through the outbreak. (Time expired)

Photo of Slade BrockmanSlade Brockman (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Senator Watt, a second supplementary question?

2:32 pm

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

This minister has ignored repeated warnings about workforce shortages and PPE shortages and has ignored the alarming failures at Jeta Gardens, exposed by two reports in the last 12 months. Now 15 residents have died and 100 residents and 82 staff have tested positive. When will this minister resign?

2:33 pm

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

Over the course of the pandemic the government has continued to work with the sector to support it with respect to the advice and the measures that need to be put in place to manage COVID-19 through the pandemic. As I indicated in an earlier answer today, the sector has performed extremely well in the context of the number of infections in aged care compared to those in the broader community. My thanks and congratulations, again, go to the sector and the workforce, who have done a magnificent job in managing this. We continue to work with the quality commission to ensure that all providers meet the quality standards. That's the role the quality commission has, and it continues to work in that sense. Of course the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been absolutely tragic, and I again extend my condolences to all those who have lost loved ones as a result of the pandemic. (Time expired)