Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I have one last question on Senator Roberts' amendment, which hasn't been moved yet. Labor, when in opposition at the end of last year, joined Senator Rex Patrick and the Greens in supporting Senator Patrick's amendment to get registered nurses 24/7 in aged care from October this year. I know this is the question that Senator Ruston was asking before as to what's changed since then. I'm certainly quite partial to the idea that getting registered nurses in aged care by February is better than by July, given that it's something that we all now accept is really important. I want to know why. Given that we're in July now—and if this bill comes back we could pass this now—it would give aged-care providers some eight months to be recruiting. I don't see why we need to wait until July to get registered nurses 24/7 in aged care as per the second piece of legislation that the government is proposing to introduce.