Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Health) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Franklin for her question. Since becoming involved in the portfolio I have frequently been in and out of aged-care facilities right across this nation, so I've become aware of incidents as they occur. When you talk to people locally and meet with families who have been affected, as I have done—I've met with Noleen Hausler, for example; I listened to the issues that she raised with me.I meet regularly with the quality agency and, in meeting with the quality agency, we talk about the reports that are absolutely critical for those matters that I have referred to the quality agency.

In that time within the portfolio and particularly following Oakden, what I did is I set about ensuring that we would make changes to the commission, that we would bring together the aged-care and quality components under one commission that would seek to be more expedient and efficient in dealing with critical issues. I have kept myself across the issues. In South Australia the member for Hindmarsh, who has worked very closely with his community, has raised issues with me. Leon Byner has interviewed me, and each time that matters have been raised I've given a commitment that our government will address them and will follow through and make sure that people are taken care of in times of crisis. I met with the families from Oakden. Senator Xenophon brought them to Parliament House. I met with them. I listened to their issues, and what I was very keen to do was to make sure that our government would focus on ensuring quality was in place for all Australians, hence the legislation that has passed through this chamber, both—

Ms Collins interjecting—

It doesn't matter. Each time, Member for Franklin, when issues have been raised with me, we have acted on them. Let me say that, when we had the Carnell-Paterson review, the review was announced on 1 May 2017, and the report came to me on 2 October 2017. The report was released on 25 October. I immediately announced that unannounced reaccreditation audits would apply to every aged-care facility so that none of them would prepare in advance. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is being established. Improving regulation of aged-care quality, strengthening aged-care compliance, a single quality framework, the Tune legislated review—we're acting on them. All of them are focusing on better care and better opportunities for Australians. Let me say that we will continue to tackle those issues and incidents as they arise. Oakden was the most significant one because it was the most public in the reporting in two reports, one undertaken by the Chief Psychiatrist, the other undertaken by a barrister from ICAC. We have continued to make sure that the reforms that we are putting in place continue to have the level of impact that is needed. (Time expired)

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