Vince Connelly (Stirling, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Arguably, one of the most universal and inescapable truths is that we will all get old and we will all die. As we age, our physical and mental health decline. As this occurs, we progressively surrender some of our independence, and at that point we turn to carers, whether they be family members, aged-care service providers or a mixture of both. In a clear sign of prioritisation, one of the very first acts of Scott Morrison as Prime Minister was to call the Royal Commission into Aged Care, Quality and Safety. The royal commission did identify some deplorable circumstances of neglect and even abuse. The individuals and organisations involved should rightly be condemned and corrected.

However, we must be careful not to paint all aged-care service providers with a negative brush. Since November last year, I have been touring aged-care facilities and meeting people—as have some of my colleagues—in my electorate of Stirling. This commenced with a roundtable meeting in my office convened by Leading Age Services Australia state manager, Liz Behjat. I thanked the organisations that attended, including managers and staff from Bethanie, Brightwater, Echo Community Services, Home Instead Senior Care, Maurice Zeffert Home, Multicultural Services Centre and Stirling Community Care.

A consistent concern is that, in cracking down on unconscionable service providers, we must avoid a temptation to overregulate. Certainly, auditing and compliance checks are extremely important, but we must work together to get the balance right, to ensure that high-quality service delivery, which must maintain our core focus, is not materially impacted. As I have been visiting aged-care facilities in my electorate of Stirling from Joondanna, Gwelup and Karrinyup, I have been struck by a consistent observation that the staff are filled with compassion for their residents. They know their names and the names of family members who come to visit. They show me with pride areas where meals are prepared and functions are held.

I commend the government's moves to get behind these passionate service providers, including through the increase in funding of over $5 billion across the forward estimates. I am also personally committed to continuing my on-the-ground research and feeding my findings through to the relevant minister. In the words of the Prime Minister, 'We must establish a new culture of respect for our older Australians.' Again, I thank the Prime Minister for instituting the royal commission and for driving forward improvements which will benefit every single Australian, including the parents and the relatives who we love and cherish.

See this speech in context