Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing and Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Under the Prime Minister's own emergency response document for COVID-19, his government is responsible for aged-care infection control guidelines.    Victoria's Chief Medical Officer has revealed poor infection practice has been the main driver of infection in aged care. Today, more than 360 families are grieving as a result. Does the Prime Minister accept that his failure to act has led to the deaths of vulnerable aged-care residents?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think it is important to address the documents in question. There are two principal documents which refer to the national and state responsibilities with regard to the national pandemic health plan and the national COVID-19 aged-care plan. In relation to the pandemic health plan, which was released on 18 February and activated by the Prime Minister on 27 February, I turn to section 4.1.4, Implementation of public health measures. Very specifically:

The Australian Government will also be responsible for residential aged care facilities; working with other healthcare providers to set standards to promote the safety and security of people in aged care …

This was a document worked on and agreed with the states and passed through the AHPPC, the medical expert panel. It says:

State and territory governments are responsible for the operational aspects of public health responses … implement infection control guidelines and healthcare safety and quality standards. They will establish systems to promote the safety and security of people in aged care and other institutional settings and support outbreak investigation and management in residential aged care facilities …

I'm simply setting out that a large part of that element was missed. On 13 March, when the national aged-care plan was released, that included, again, a joint document of the Commonwealth and the states, which said:

State/territory public health section in the Departments of Health will act in an advisory role to assist RCF—

residential aged-care facilities—

to detect, characterise and manage COVID-19 outbreaks. This includes:

…   …   …

I say this to draw the opposition's attention to the fact that there are shared responsibilities. We take full responsibilities for carrying out the regulatory functions of aged care. That's why we established four critical elements to protect with regard to aged care: firstly, on 11 March, $101 million for surge workforce; secondly, on 13 March, a national agreement with public hospitals to provide surge workforce; thirdly, on 31 March, the establishment of the private hospitals agreement—and 450 patients have been transferred to those private hospitals. Finally, we've established a national testing contract for every facility, for every resident and every staff member, wherever there is a positive case.

Each life lost is a source of immense regret and agony not just for those involved but for all Australians and all governments. That's why we've done these things to help fight and protect Australians, and that's why the loss of life in Australian aged-care facilities is among the lowest in the world. (Time expired)