Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader (Tasmania)) Share this | Hansard source

Labor understands the intent of the Greens amendment. The government is currently sitting on the Aged Care Workforce Strategy. For some months, Labor has been calling on the government to address the A matter of care workforce strategy, as this should have been done immediately. Aged-care workforce development is not an optional policy area. The aged-care workforce is diverse, and we acknowledge the work that is being carried out by nurses, carers and allied health professionals. We hope that the government act on the workforce strategy that is before them. It's all there laid out for them; they just need to take some action. Labor will not be supporting the Greens amendment. We think it can be done in the future in a different piece of legislation.