Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) the release of the Australian Law Reform Commission Report on elder abuse which coincided with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on 15 June 2017,

(ii) that World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is a global awareness day which promotes dignity and respect for older people, and recognises the contribution older people make socially and economically,

(iii) that elder abuse is a form of domestic violence and can be physical, sexual, financial, psychological, social or neglectful, and usually occurs at the hands of someone trusted, such as family or friends, and

(iv) that the Law Reform Commission Report on elder abuse focusses on financial exploitation, which continues to be the most common form of abuse experienced by elderly people;

(b) urges federal, state, territory and local governments to raise awareness of and take action against the mistreatment of older people in Australia; and

(c) urges the Turnbull Government to respond immediately to the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission report on elder abuse.