Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers) Share this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to be able to be in the chamber today to see the carriage of this important piece of legislation. The Carer Recognition Bill 2010 is the government’s legislative commitment to recognise and acknowledge the vital contribution that carers make to Australian society. The bill recognises that carers make a huge contribution to helping family members, friends and neighbours to live at home and remain connected to the community. It is time to recognise, respect and value the role of carers in Australia, and this bill is a step forward towards improving the lives of carers and people for whom they care. It will benefit society as a whole.

Last year the government heard carers’ calls for greater acknowledgement and increased recognition. This message came through loud and clear when the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family, Community Housing and Youth tabled its report, Who cares...?:Report on the inquiry into better support for carers. Central to the government’s response to this inquiry was a commitment from the Commonwealth to lead the development of a National Carer Recognition Framework. This bill is the first element of that framework. It formally acknowledges the vital contribution that carers make to Australian society. This bill complements the carer recognition legislation already in place in some states and territories.

There are several key elements to the bill. Firstly, the bill establishes a broad and encompassing definition of ‘carer’. This definition captures the diversity of carers and care relationships. Importantly, the bill sets out a statement for Australia’s carers. The statement contains 10 key principles that articulate how carers should be treated and considered in the policy, program and service delivery context. Public service agencies will be required to take all practicable measures to ensure their staff have an awareness and understanding of the principles in the statement. Public service care agencies will also need to ensure that their staff take action to reflect the statement’s principles when developing, implementing and providing or evaluating policies, programs or services directed to carers or the people for whom they care. The statement extends to associated providers, people or bodies contracted or funded by public service care agencies and their immediate contractors. These associated providers will need to ensure staff and agents have awareness and understanding of the statement’s principles and take action to reflect the principles when they develop, implement, provide or evaluate policies, programs or services directed to carers or to the people for whom they care.

The bill directs that public service agencies when developing human resource policies are to have due regard to the statement for Australia’s carers where those policies significantly affect an employee’s caring role. The bill directs public service care agencies to consult with carers and the bodies that represent them in the development and evaluation of policies, programs and services that are directed to them and to the people for whom they care. Public service care agencies will also be required to report publicly in their annual reports on their compliance with their obligations under the legislation.

The bill supports the work the government is undertaking to reform the system of support for carers and the people for whom they care, and recognises that carers should have the opportunities and the capacity to enjoy optimum health and wellbeing and social and economic participation. Implementation of the bill will drive a much needed increase in awareness and understanding of the role and contribution of carers. It will drive a much needed cultural and attitudinal shift so that carers’ interests are taken into account by Public Service agencies and service providers. Raising the status and the profile of the caring role will assist in improving the community’s awareness and recognition of carers and the people for whom they care.

I was somewhat disappointed with the tone of Senator Fifield’s contribution. The bill will deliver structural reform that will improve the way carers navigate their lives in terms of policy development, program design and service delivery. This is cultural change. Real systemic change will result from the passage of this bill. This will over time change the practices that mean that carers are terribly socially isolated, as we know. They will be considered by governments and government departments—this is not something that will just happen in FaHCSIA; this will happen across the whole of government. Unlike you, Senator Fifield, I do believe this will bring real change in their lives of the many hundreds of thousands of carers who care for those they love in this country.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.