John McVeigh (Groom, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I rise to speak in relation to stronger consumer protections for older Australians. Firstly, I want to say that, like many other Australians, I was shocked by the allegations revealed in recent media program investigations into some retirement villages. Like many in the House, I have ageing parents and, all going well, I look forward to becoming one myself in the coming decades.

For most of us, care will become a significant consideration in our futures. I'm a family man. My wife and I have six children. She is one of four siblings, and I am one of five. Family has always been the focus and the biggest part of our lives, and the mistreatment of our older Australians is therefore simply abhorrent to all of us. These are people who have led amazing lives and have done their bit for the country through thick and thin. They are the backbone of our communities. They need to feel safe; they need to feel secure. They need our support, and the government is determined to ensure that is there for them.

Moving into a retirement village is not only a lifestyle decision but also a major financial decision, and many can be confused by the complex arrangements that are laid out before them. If things don't work out, high exit fees might leave some without enough money to seek alternative or more suitable accommodation. This can then compound the problem. None of us want to be forced to live where we don't wish.

As our Australian population continues to age, the retirement home industry continues to boom. There are now around 200,000 older Australians living in retirement villages across the country, and their cohort is increasing faster than any other age-specific option. Many of these fall into two categories: older retirees relocating because of declining health and younger retirees concerned about future health needs and seeking a relaxed lifestyle within a village provided with shared amenities. These people are simply looking for a simpler life, one filled with joy and happiness—not a life consumed with financial concerns or fears about their future. The health, safety and wellbeing of older Australians are of paramount importance to the government and, I am sure, to both sides of the House. Any mistreatment of older Australians is simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

Following recent reports, the government committed to expediting work across relevant portfolios and with states and territories, of course, who have ultimate responsibility for retirement villages. We are seeking to develop short-, medium- and long-term solutions, but the key imperative, of course, is to deliver better results for the future of our vulnerable, older Australians by developing with states and territories a nationally coordinated approach to ensure the adequacy of regulation, particularly so that we can ensure we don't see any further reports such as those we have seen recently. The government will be considering the recommendations of the parliamentary inquiry into aged care and the Productivity Commission report into caring for older Australians, as it has already been doing in the context of these recently highlighted cases to which I referred.

My colleague, the Minister for Small Business, the Hon. Michael McCormack, will be raising this issue in an upcoming meeting with consumer affairs ministers this month. While retirement villages, as I said, are regulated by state legislation, retirement village contracts are also subject to Australian consumer law, which prohibits unfair contract terms. The minister will be considering the effectiveness of current legislation and enforcement arrangements covering the retirement industry.

As I've said, the welfare of older Australians, particularly those who have sought the protections, the comfort, the safety and the security of retirement villages, must be prioritised and their needs must be protected by federal and state governments alike. Certainly in my electorate of Groom, a very popular retirement capital, if you like, for much of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, particularly from regional areas, the aged-care industry is a significant industry for our local community. Stories of lack of care or maltreatment of older Australians, as I have said before, is abhorrent to all Australians and particularly, in our case, to those in my city of Toowoomba. This issue must be bipartisan. We must work together for the benefit of all Australians.

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