Mark Butler (Port Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

National Seniors Australia advised us that, in a survey of their members, their members said that this issue was the most important question in aged care. The National Aged Care Alliance dealt with this issue explicitly in their blueprint for aged-care reform that they delivered to all parties in February 2012. On page 7, they said:

…there is a need for:

They called for:

This alliance is a very broad group and includes all of the major providers in the aged-care sector. I have always regarded their advice very highly.

I am pleased to say that my announcement last week reflected that advice entirely. I table the blueprint for the assistance of House members. Most aged-care workers that I meet do not do this work for the money. They do it because they love it, but that has to stop being an excuse for paying such low wages for such important work.

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