Anika Wells (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Mackellar for her amendment. As she is a former emergency department doctor and GP, I know she is acutely aware of the importance of ensuring that older Australians can access high-quality health and aged-care services. I acknowledge her intention on tabling this amendment is for the bill to give effect to Australia's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. However, the government doesn't support the amendment. To make the constitutional basis for this legislation clear, the objects specify only the international conventions relevant to the external affairs power: the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. That doesn't mean that aged care does not endeavour to uphold other international conventions, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples.

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