Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Page for her question. The Department of Health and Ageing oversees more than 2,870 accredited nursing homes right across Australia. It is an honour and a privilege to care for and protect our nation’s most vulnerable citizens, the frail and the aged. As minister, I have met with residents and providers and visited aged-care facilities in all states and territories to get firsthand knowledge. One thing has become very clear: for the last 12 years, the previous government neglected the concerns of residents and their families. Shortly after becoming minister, I asked the department to review ways to improve aged care. On 21 February, I announced changes in the area of police checks. I have asked the department to begin reviewing aspects of the Aged Care Act and the activities of the Aged Care Act and the activities of the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency. This agency was set up in 1997 to accredit aged-care facilities.

I have already found quite a few surprises. For example, the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency has advised me that it is not an offence to mislead it. That is right: it is not an offence to mislead the accreditation agency. I find this absolutely breathtaking. How could the previous government create an accreditation body and then limit its powers? On another matter, last week I was told that a minister for ageing could not visit a nursing home without the permission of a provider or being invited. This means a minister, if they were concerned about residents or wanted to see firsthand what was going on in a facility, would have to give advance warning—

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