Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's been more than three years since the Australian Law Reform Commission first recommended establishing a serious incident response scheme. It's been almost two years since the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety was established, and it's almost a year since the interim report from that commission was tabled, the foreword of which is entitled 'A shocking tale of neglect'. So, although Labor welcomes the government's announcement to give initial funding to establish a serious incident response scheme, for many vulnerable older Australians, it's too little and too late. Older Australians are some of our most vulnerable citizens. They deserve that this government protect them from abuse. The royal commission was scathing in its interim report:

The neglect that we have found in this Royal Commission to date is far from the best that can be done. Rather, it is a sad and shocking system that diminishes Australia as a nation.

We know that Australia's population is ageing. This problem is far from going away. It's going to get worse. It will be devastating for us as a nation if we don't tackle this problem now. Our veterans and pioneers of industry and business now in their later years deserve better. Our mothers and fathers deserve better. We can all do better. Elder abuse is not acceptable—not now and not ever. This coalition government, led by Prime Minister Morrison, needs to act immediately to stamp it out.