Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) Share this | Hansard source

I don't believe that Senator Fierravanti-Wells has been ignored by the Morrison government, in the same way that I don't agree with the assertion with respect to Mr Broadbent. Senator Fierravanti-Wells, as I said in an answer to a question earlier, has had the opportunity—by virtue of the fact that Prime Minister Morrison called a royal commission into the aged-care sector—to make a significant contribution to that royal commission. And I welcome that. Senator Fierravanti-Wells, I know, because I interacted with her on a number of occasions when she was the shadow minister—in fact, she did some work with me in aged-care facilities in the North West of Tasmania—put significant amount of effort into the policy work that she did. So not only do I respect the work that she's done and respect the opinions that she has but Senator Fierravanti-Wells has had the opportunity, through the fact that Prime Minister Morrison called a royal commission, to make a contribution to that process and to the determination of this government under Prime Minister Morrison to improve the residential aged-care sector in this country.

So I don't accept the assertion in the question from the minister, and I look forward to the report of the royal commission, which is due on 26 February next year. And I look forward to then implementing measures, off the back of the royal commission report, to improve the delivery of aged care in this country.