Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

It's appropriate that you, Mr Deputy Speaker Andrews, are sitting in the chair, given the work that you've done previously for senior Australians; I want to acknowledge that. The Australian population is ageing and the expectations of older people are changing. In recognition of this, the Australian government is making fundamental reforms to the aged-care system. The reforms aim to promote high-quality aged-care services that meet consumer needs and preferences and to create a competitive market based system where consumers drive quality. The Aged Care (Single Quality Framework) Reform Bill 2018 provides for the making of the aged-care quality standards that will apply to all approved providers of Commonwealth funded aged care. The bill contributes to the establishment of a single consolidated and streamlined quality framework for all aged-care services, as announced in the 2015-16 budget. The aged-care quality standards, co-designed with consumer groups, representatives from the industry and experts in standards development, are focused on achieving quality outcomes for consumers by enabling consumers and carers to influence the design and delivery of the services in order to ensure that they are consistent with the consumers' preferences.

The strong focus on consumer outcomes in these standards is evident in the consumer outcome statements that introduce each standard. For example, the consumer outcome for standard 1 is:

I am treated with dignity and respect, and can maintain my identity. I can make informed choices about my care and services, and live the life I choose.

Standard 1 underpins all other standards so that this consumer outcome applies right across all of the new standards. The final draft version of these standards is available on the Department of Health website. The standards have been subject to extensive public consultation, and there'll be a 12-month transition period to give the sector time to adapt. Implementation of the aged-care quality standards contribute to the response of the Review of national aged care quality regulatory process, which highlighted the need to make improvements to aged care.

I note that there has been some discussion during the debate on this bill's amendment to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 which exempts certain protected information received by the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency from disclosure under the FOI Act. As part of its functions, the quality agency handles sensitive and personal information from people, including care recipients, the friends and families of care recipients, approved providers of aged care and the staff of approved providers. The proposed amendments will not change the current arrangements for the publishing of audit reports by the quality agency, including where they have found that a provider has not met the requirements of the relative quality standards. The quality agency will continue to be required to publish its accreditation decisions and the associated audit report under the requirements of the Quality Agency Principles 2013 as soon as practicable.

The proposed amendment will also not change the current process whereby the chief executive officer of the quality agency can decide to release protected information in cases where it is in the public interest, or where it is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious risk to a care recipient. The Aged Care (Single Quality Framework) Reform Bill 2018 enables the introduction of a contemporary set of Aged Care Quality Standards that will promote high-quality services that meet consumer needs and preferences. I thank all members for their contribution to the debate on this bill.

Bill read a second time.

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