Julian Simmonds (Ryan, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Before I get into the substance of the motion, I would like to start by paying tribute and thanking all the aged-care workers across the country and in particular in my electorate of Ryan. We rely on aged-care workers so much in our society, and we appreciate the work that they do to care for our loved ones. But they have never been more vital than in the last few months during COVID, when they have been a vital resource protecting some of those who are most at risk. I would really like to thank them and congratulate them for rising to the challenge. I know it's been an anxious time for everybody, but they have truly gone above and beyond to make sure that our vulnerable residents were protected.

It would also be remiss, on International Cleaners Day, not to thank all the cleaners involved in aged-care facilities as well. Again, they've played such an important role in the last couple of months during COVID to keep our vulnerable residents safe.

During the pandemic, I've taken the time to speak with many of the facilities in the Ryan electorate, with many of the staff and many of the residents, to thank them for rising to this challenge so remarkably and so swiftly. In particular, I have spoken to the residents at the Cairns Aged Care Centre at Chapel Hill. They even took the time—keeping in mind again that it's an anxious time for them—to compose a letter to the Prime Minister. With a little bit of indulgence from the House, I will read a small excerpt. This is from the residents at the aged-care centre:

We feel safe in your care, knowing you have our best interests at heart. The guidelines you have set out have helped reassure us that we are protected when temperature checks are done religiously to all staff, visitors and for us. Our lifestyles have been somewhat curtailed; however this pandemic has invented new and interesting ways of dealing with social distancing laws and restrictions. The wonderful use of technology has enabled us to have face time with relatives, friends and grandchildren. The direction has been a great help and clarity to help us plan our lives, enabling us to put what is necessary into practice effectively and was a great assistance in reducing the risk and promoting excellence in care.

That is from some of the residents in the aged-care facility in Chapel Hill in the electorate of Ryan. It's because the Morrison government has moved so swiftly during the COVID pandemic to protect both the sector and some of our most vulnerable residents, particularly looking after the lives and livelihoods of frontline staff.

We have provided more than $850 million in measures that support both our senior Australians in aged care and the aged-care sector more broadly. These measures include an additional $205 million COVID specific support package for residential aged care providers, to ensure that our providers can continue to provide the additional safety measures that were in place and required during COVID. We know that protecting our most vulnerable from COVID means a significant extra burden on the sector. We've acted decisively to make available targeted measures to ease this pressure and ensure they retain their staff.

We are providing $234.9 million to eligible workers in residential aged care and home care during COVID to help keep them employed, to help retain our aged-care workforce during this most difficult and important time. The Morrison government's retention bonus means that eligible full-time direct care workers will receive a bonus of up to $800 per quarter if they work over the applicable time periods. Eligible home-care workers, including those providing much needed services, such as meal preparation, social support or helping with the shopping or transport to the shops, will receive up to $600 per quarter over the applicable time periods. This is in place to encourage our direct care workers to keep doing the important work that they are doing on the front line. It's disappointing that Labor have taken this opportunity, when so much good work has been done by this sector, to politicise it for cheap political points. We're disappointed, but we're not surprised.

The Morrison government has moved swiftly to ensure that frontline workers in the aged-care sector are supported and that they, in turn, are supporting the residents within their care. Again I'd like to thank them very much for all the work they are doing and assure them that, despite the lines being peddled by the Labor Party, the Morrison government will continue to ensure that they are well supported into the future as they continue to deal with the COVID crisis and look after some of our most vulnerable residents.

See this speech in context