Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

My community, like many others, is bracing for the impact of the business-saving JobKeeper wage subsidy ending this Saturday. Despite my advocacy and that of many in this place, the government has made it clear that the pandemic assistance measure will end. The government is buoyed by recent economic indicators, but the devil is always in the detail. In South Australia our unemployment rate is unacceptably high. Meanwhile, the funding subsidy for the COVID unemployed, the COVID assistance measure, is also coming to an end. The COVID supplement of $150 a fortnight will be gone next Wednesday. In its place, a new rise—I appreciate it's a permanent rise—of $50 a fortnight. But that takes the base rate of JobKeeper to around $310 a week. Retail data shows that it was the low-income households who supported our economy with extra spending during the restrictions. Ending both measures at the same time, I believe, is a very high risk decision. The removal of the supplement will put the brakes on our economy by cutting the income of those who are most likely to spend. This is going to have a huge impact on our small businesses.

Looking at the statistics in my electorate, 7,962 people received JobSeeker in Mayo last December and 780 received youth allowance. Exactly a year ago there were 4,572 people on JobSeeker and 474 on youth allowance. That represents around a 75 per cent increase for JobSeeker recipients and a 65 per cent increase in the number of people on youth allowance. Not all of these people would have secured work in the first months of this year. Next week many of those employees who are still on JobKeeper will need to transition to JobSeeker, but that is only if they're eligible. The eligibility criteria have again been restricted.

I'm concerned that the government's insistence on forcing the end of JobKeeper at the same time that it removes the coronavirus supplement will see a real contraction of our economy. I think we're in for a very difficult landing. When that happens, we have to ask ourselves, what was the point of the last year if we allow the wage subsidy to end prematurely and the businesses we are trying to save fall at the very last hurdle? What was the point of it all?

The announcement of the aviation relief package and ticket incentives for the tourism industry is welcome, but our visitor economy is much larger than airlines. In our community, these measures won't help the travel agents, the small tour operators and the boutique businesses that relied on international and interstate visitors. It's estimated that the end of JobKeeper will have an impact on the future of some 400,000 jobs in travel, tourism and events. Some tourism businesses across Australia have seen an uplift in revenue from domestic visitors; however, many regional and remote tourism businesses that depend on international markets are in a very precarious situation. I spoke to one chauffeur operator in my electorate who, when COVID hit, lost most of their business taking small group tours to the wineries. They have attempted to diversify, but that hasn't covered their costs, including their loans on high-end vehicles.

There is also a business that used to organise festivals and entertainment events. It will struggle to continue with restrictions still in place, as will the art galleries and hospitality venues that are still in recovery mode. It has been widely reported that Australians working in the arts industry have lost more than $25 million in income because of bushfires and the pandemic. Cinemas are also affected. We have the wonderful Wallis Cinema chain in South Australia, including in my electorate of Mayo, at Mount Barker. The combination of last year's lockdowns and delays in studios releasing A-list movies has significantly affected audience numbers—and this is an industry that was already hurting thanks to streaming services. More than 99 per cent of the businesses in my electorate are small businesses. Construction makes up the highest proportion, but there are more than a thousand businesses involved in the tourism, arts and recreation sectors. I'm very concerned that these specialist businesses will shed staff and possibility close down forever. If they lay off staff, they lose those people's expertise and their established relationships with them. The government has made its position clear, but the government, I believe, has shown it can react quickly if situations change. If the economic situation rapidly deteriorates, the government needs to act so it doesn't undo all the good work of JobKeeper and the $70 billion that Australian taxpayers have spent on that program.

JobKeeper showed that the government can respond quickly in crisis. Sadly, there is no denying the aged-care crisis we are in right now in Australia. I'm heartened by the final report of the royal commission into aged care because it sets out pathways to a system which will treat older people with care, dignity and respect, and I think that's really the key to it all. If we have the will, we can act decisively and we can act now. The commissioners have called for a new aged-care act and system, and I think that's a matter we can all agree on, but the Prime Minister has indicated a five-year time frame for a new act. The government must act now on key recommendations, because older Australians can't wait any longer. We don't need a new act to act on some of the key recommendations. Lengthy delays in providing aged care at home must be addressed immediately. Many elderly people qualify for care in their homes but are left on a merry-go-round for months or years, searching for providers—and that's after being on the waiting list. Their health can deteriorate to a point where they are hospitalised or need residential care prematurely. It is not what they want, it's not what their families want and it costs individuals and taxpayers far more than in-home care. The system is broken and it can't wait five years to be fixed.

The commissioners have called for immediate improvements to food and nutrition. They heard evidence that 68 per cent of residents in 60 Melbourne nursing homes were either suffering from or at risk of malnutrition. Nearly seven out of 10 residents were at risk of or suffering from malnutrition. That is horrific. I just can't believe that that is the Australia we live in. We need to make sure that the government's initial per-resident funding boost for providers really delivers to the individuals who are in aged care. We need to make sure it delivers nutritious meals.

The second recommendation for immediate action relates to people living with dementia. Recently members would have heard from Dementia Australia that the aged-care system lacks consistent quality support for people with dementia. Dementia is now the biggest killer of women in Australia. More timely dementia diagnosis; pathways designed for people living with dementia, their families and carers; and a supported, skilled workforce cannot wait five years for a new act.

Thirdly, the commissioners called for immediate better controls on restrictive practices. I am pleased the government has initiated some of these measures.

Lastly, the commissioners called for palliative care to be core business. Advocates advise of the improved patient outcomes and economic benefits of integrating palliative care with aged care. We need to be providing more compassionate care for people nearing end of life—at home if they wish—rather than emergency hospitalisations.

The commissioners' core recommendations give shape to the top 10 things that peak bodies have identified through consultation and that most older Australians want. The commissioners agree there needs to be increased funding for aged care, with greater transparency and accountability of how individuals' and taxpayers' funds are spent. Older Australians say they want to see transparency, informed choice and greater control over their funds. I call on the government to immediately progress measures based on previous Centre Alliance legislation proposals. Aged-care providers must be required to disclose their income and what they spend on food and medication, staff and training, accommodation, administration and payments to parent organisations and directors. Australians can't believe that this information is not required to be provided to the Australian taxpayer, to the government. It's all under cover. It's all under a shroud of secrecy. Nobody knows how much an aged-care facility spends on food. Nobody knows how much they spend on staff. Nobody knows how many staff are in a residential facility. It differs wildly. There are no ratios. There is no transparency of ratios. It's really quite appalling.

The commission recommends improved access to quality care for older Australians. Really, that's just quite simple. Minimum time guarantees with personal care workers and nurses are one way to ensure everyone receives the care they need. You know what else needs to happen? We actually need to pay care workers properly. I have met wonderful care workers in recent weeks here in parliament who are earning $22 or $23 an hour. They can get more stacking shelves and yet they are looking after our most vulnerable people and they are racing from room to room with just minutes to shower and dress a person. In many cases, if the person has dementia, if the person has incontinence issues, they are needing to shower them many times during a day. They are stressed, they are exhausted and they are an older workforce of mainly women, and we treat them as poorly as we treat the residents in aged care.

Older Australians call for recognition and support for family and friends who act as carers and volunteers. This is also recommended by the commissioners. All agree aged care must be more inclusive, culturally safe and sensitive. The government has allocated $452 million to its initial response. Of course that is really welcome, but I think the Australian community needs to know that that's just around three per cent of the total annual budget for aged care. This must be just the beginning of some funding changes. This initial investment must be followed by decisive action now. Significant investment must be made in the May budget and sound commitment must be made over the long term.

The royal commission sets out the reasons and the road map for an aged-care system which acknowledges our older community and the right of all Australians to have care, dignity and respect as we age. I urge the Australian government to seize this opportunity to make meaningful change for the better, commencing immediately. We can't wait five years for a new Aged Care Act. No Australian deserves to wait five years for a new Aged Care Act. While we've been deliberating and discussing appropriations in here for days, it's just another wasted opportunity. I would happily sit through winter break—summer break, every break—so that we can actually make some meaningful change in this place to aged care, because our older Australians deserve much better.

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