Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Senator Ludwig. I refer the minister to the announcement of the Aged Care Workforce Compact last Tuesday. Minister Butler stated at the Aged and Community Services Australia's national conference in Hobart in September 2010, 'We will be working with the sector to consider a proper and deliberative transition period for any reforms that we decide to introduce'. How can the minister contend that he has achieved consensus when all peak aged-care industry bodies and providers boycotted his announcement of the workforce compact on 5 March? Indeed, is it a fact that the minister could not find a single provider out of the 2,725 aged-care facilities across the country to host his announcement?