Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. This month the aged care royal commission heard that after the deadly Newmarch House outbreak the Commonwealth still doesn't have protocols with all states, stating: 'It's unacceptable that such arrangements were not in place in February. It is unforgivable that they are still not in place in August.' After hundreds of deaths, why are Commonwealth funded and regulated aged-care facilities still unprepared for an outbreak of COVID-19?

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

I will directly turn to the national standards that were established in conjunction with the states and territories as part of the Australian Health Sector Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), released on 18 February, activated on 27 February.

An honourable member: Is this the response for aged care?

I will read it, absolutely. Section 4.1.4, which addresses the relationship precisely between the Commonwealth and every state and territory, says:

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 and other institutional settings …

It further states:

State and territory governments are responsible for the operational aspects of public health responses.

This document was passed through the AHPPC, or the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, or the medical expert panel. It further states that state and territory governments will:

… 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, schools, prisons and other institutions.

Equally, specifically and exclusively in relation to aged care, the national aged care plan published on 13 March 2020, developed through the Communicable Diseases Network Australia, which is a subcommittee of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, or medical expert panel, said very clearly in relation to the respective responsibilities of the Commonwealth and the states and territories:

State/territory public health section in the Departments of Health will act in an advisory role to assist RCF to detect, characterise and manage COVID-19 outbreaks. This includes:

Both of these are the foundational documents of the national aged-care preparedness COVID plan. Both were developed in conjunction with the states and territories. Both share and assign responsibilities appropriately across Commonwealth and state and territory bodies. Both are published documents. They have been available since 18 February and 13 March, respectively. Both are available, and, most significantly, they have actually provided the framework for cooperation, which has allowed thousands of lives to have been saved.

We grieve every life lost, every single life lost, but we also know that what we've done through containment and capacity has made a profound difference and we will continue and to do so and fight for every life— (Time expired)