Carina Garland (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I would like to address the significance and timeliness of this Inspector-General of Aged Care Bill 2023. It is a fact that if we are fortunate enough in life we get to age. It is really vital, though, that everyone in our community, no matter what their age, is able to receive care with respect, compassion and dignity. I'm really proud to be part of the Albanese Labor government, which is doing what should have been done by the former government in taking the necessary steps to ensure that our aged-care sector is transparent and accountable to the public. In my community of Chisholm in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, I hear—unfortunately, too often—stories of neglect that people have witnessed through family members or have experienced themselves in aged care. It is a shame that this has happened in a country like Australia, and it is time that this kind of neglect occurs no longer.

As we know, the Royal Commission in Aged Care Quality and Safety was established in 2018 in response to community concerns about the quality of care being provided in aged-care homes across the country. I acknowledge everyone who contributed to that royal commission, who shared their—often very difficult—stories which revealed some things that I think have been very hard to accept occur in a country like Australia. But accept them we must, and make change we must. The findings of the royal commission ranged from disturbing to chilling, and highlighted the need for urgent reforms in the aged-care sector. One of the key recommendations of the royal commission was the establishment of an independent Inspector-General of Aged Care to monitor and investigate the Commonwealth's administration and regulation of the aged-care system. The inspector-general's oversight will drive accountability and transparency across the aged-care system, shining a light on uncomfortable, systemic issues and investigating their root causes.

This bill is a vital piece of legislation that will significantly improve outcomes for older Australians by ensuring greater accountability and transparency across the aged-care system. We know that the Royal Commission on Aged Care Quality and Safety identified significant shortcomings in the current aged-care system. This bill will establish an independent Inspector-General of Aged Care who will monitor and investigate the Commonwealth's administration and regulation of the aged-care system. The inspector-general will report their findings and recommendations to the government, to parliament and to the public. This will instil greater accountability and transparency across the aged-care system and help facilitate positive change for older Australians and their families—something we in this place should all agree is a necessary and appropriate measure. A measure like this helps to assure the public of Australia that this is a government that wants to be transparent and wants to be accountable, and this goes some way to restoring faith in government and institutions like the parliament.

The Inspector General of Aged Care Bill is a key part of our government's commitment to be open and transparent. It is a significant step towards restoring the public's trust in how our most vulnerable Australians are being cared for. This bill establishes an Inspector-General of Aged Care and a statutory office to support them in the performance of their functions. It's important to note that the inspector-general will be separate from other entities within the aged-care system—such as the Department of Health and Aged Care—to ensure they can provide effective, impartial and transparent oversight of the system. To inform their functions, the inspector-general will have coercive information-gathering powers. These powers will be balanced by appropriate protections to ensure that those assisting the inspector-general will respond with full and frank disclosure. This bill sets out a legislative framework within which the inspector-general will conduct reviews and publish reports. It is important to note that the reviews will not relate to individual complaints or actions; rather, the inspector-general's independent oversight will bring an impartial perspective to considering the complex issues into the aged-care system and allow them to make recommendations for improvement.

This piece of legislation gives relevant parties, particularly those subject to a proposed adverse finding, an opportunity to respond to any proposed finding before a review report is finalised. The inspector-general will prepare a final review, to be tabled by the minister in parliament within 28 days of their findings. The inspector-general may also compel a government body to respond to the recommendations in the final review report and publish their response in conjunction with that report. The consequential and transitional provisions bill amends the other legislation which governs the aged-care system, to facilitate the provision of information to the inspector-general that is subject to secrecy provisions.

Through nine years of neglect, the Australian public lost trust in our how most vulnerable Australians were being cared for. The royal commission was a damning assessment of an aged-care system in crisis. So many of us in this chamber and in our communities have heard firsthand some of the stories of neglect that people unfortunately were experiencing in the aged-care system. We've heard really distressing stories not just from the residents, of course, but from staff and carers in the aged-care sector, who have witnessed terrible things—chilling things—and it is high time that we have reform in this area. I would hope that something everyone in this place can agree on is that the most vulnerable people in our communities deserve the absolute best care and representation from us here in this chamber. It is my hope that this parliament will do what needs to be done to improve this sector.

After years of ignorance, the final report of the royal commission was a call to action to put people back in the centre of aged care. This bill is another step towards restoring trust between the Australian public and the parliament, which, unfortunately, was broken by the former coalition government. The Inspector-General of Aged Care will also play a crucial role in ensuring that the Australian public can have confidence in the aged-care system. Older Australians deserve the very best possible care, and having an inspector-general of aged care will go a long way to ensuring they receive it.

The need for change in aged care has never been more urgent. As our population ages, the demand for aged-care services is growing, and we must ensure that these services are of the highest quality and standards. This Inspector-General of Aged Care Bill is a critical step towards achieving this important goal. Whilst we appreciate that the aged-care system is complex and that addressing its shortcomings will require a comprehensive and coordinated effort, the Albanese Labor government is committed to this process—to getting it done—as we told the Australian people we would.

This bill is a crucial step towards transparency and accountability in aged care. The establishment of an independent Inspector-General of Aged Care will facilitate positive change for older Australians and their families. They will monitor and investigate the Commonwealth's administration and regulation of the aged-care system, shining a light on systemic issues and recommending improvements. The Commonwealth is not hiding from our responsibilities to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. We owe it to our older Australians to provide them with the care and respect they deserve. This bill will go a long way to helping us make this a reality.

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