Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Inspector-General of Aged Care Bill 2023 and the Inspector-General of Aged Care (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023. The bills amend the Aged Care Act 1997 and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018 to ensure information can be shared with the inspector-general for the purpose of carrying out its functions. The bills also amend the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 to require that a person having already been investigated by the inspector-general can only be investigated by the commission where it is in the public interest to do so. Finally, the bills provide for the transitional arrangements to move from interim administrative arrangements within the department to the statutory inspector-general.

These bills are another historic moment in the Albanese Labor government's election commitment to bring transparency, accountability and quality back into the aged-care sector and every residential aged-care home across the country. We have continued on this path since taking office. It has been historic. The Albanese Labor government has been busy putting nurses 24/7 back into the aged-care sector and pushing for—and securing, I might add—a very important but historic 15 per cent pay rise for aged-care workers across the country. It must be noted that this pay rise, which everyone in aged care deserves, was opposed by the Liberals and Nationals, which is an absolute, utter disgrace. I would like to see those opposite work for a day in an aged-care home to see whether or not they think a pay rise for aged-care workers is necessary. Having walked in the shoes of aged-care workers on a number of occasions since being in this place, I can tell you that they certainly deserve that pay rise.

I also note the work of the minister, the Hon. Mark Butler, who, when we were last in government, actually built the foundations for reform to this sector, and what we saw from the Liberal-National government over the last almost decade was a government that failed to take responsibility, failed to build on that framework and failed to develop policy that was going to ensure that we had a very strong, skilled workforce and ensure that this sector was funded going forward. This is what delivering for the aged-care sector looks like, and we had to wait for an Albanese Labor government to be elected to deliver on that. I hope that those opposite have not forgotten—I know the Australian people have not forgotten—that it was Mr Scott Morrison who cut $1.2 billion from the aged-care sector and used it as an ATM. That's the record of the former Liberal-National government. This is the same former Prime Minister who called a royal commission into his own government's failings.

Those opposite had a very long time, almost 10 years, to fix the aged-care sector and they failed. It cannot be sugar-coated; they just didn't care. All they cared about was being in government for the sake of being in government. They were not actually focused on delivering better policy outcomes for their fellow Australians. During the Abbott government, there wasn't even a specific minister for aged care or a minister with 'aged care' in their title. That's what the former prime minister Tony Abbott thought of aged care and that important sector. Under Mr Turnbull and Mr Morrison there were four failed ministers who oversaw a sector in need of urgent reform. Can those opposite recite the names of those four failed aged-care ministers? I can. Who could forget former minister for aged care, Mr Greg Hunt; the former failed minister Richard Colbeck; the failed former minister Ken Wyatt; and, now, the illustrious, uneventful, unimaginative deputy opposition leader, Sussan Ley. They all failed, and why did they fail? It was because they didn't care. They didn't understand the sector and they didn't want to understand the issues because they had no capacity to bring the sector forward and ensure, as I said, that we had the skills and the workforce to take this sector forward.

Importantly, these bills establish an independent inspector-general of aged care who will impartially monitor and investigate the Commonwealth's administration and regulation of aged care. We are a transparent government, unlike the former Morrison government and the former Prime Minister's secretly held portfolios—secret from the public and secret from the ministers themselves; the former Prime Minister assumed those responsibilities, named himself a minister and didn't even bother to tell those ministers that he'd taken over their responsibilities. As a government, we want to ensure that the aged-care sector is equally transparent. It is so important. As recommended by the royal commission, the inspector-general will look at serious and ongoing problems associated with the design and operations of the aged-care sector and will specifically look at issues that are complex and interconnected and that have not been addressed adequately. This is really important work. The bill also provides the inspector-general with powers to monitor and report on the implementation of the recommendations of the royal commission, which is crucial. Remember that report? The title: Neglect. The onus of neglect firmly sits with those on the opposite side of this chamber. As a government, in the words of the Minister for Aged Care, the Hon. Anika Wells:

An inspector-general who will report their findings and recommendations to government, to parliament, and to the public, to instil greater accountability and transparency across the aged-care system, and, in turn, facilitate positive change for older Australians and their families.

That's something that should be welcomed by all.

We're an ageing population. We're a rich nation; therefore, we should have the best possible aged-care sector. But after nine years of neglect, it's now time for the adults to be in charge and change the culture of a sector in need of attention. Aged care plays an important role in the lives of our loved ones. It is a large, complex system that involves agencies and a range of programs and policies designed to care for and support Australians as we age. The inspector-general's functions can be broadly seen as monitoring, reviewing and reporting. An independent oversight means understanding what is going on across the aged-care system as a whole. The bill enables the inspector-general to use their information-gathering powers to monitor decisions, programs, operations and funding under the aged-care laws, to maintain a comprehensive understanding of what is occurring, what trends are emerging, what systematic issues are prevailing and what insights can be seen from a holistic point of view. The bill also sets out a broader framework for the inspector-general to investigate systemic issues through targeted reviews, to give assurances to the public and aged-care government bodies on the priorities of the inspector-general. The bill requires the inspector-general to publish a work plan each year. The review framework focuses on transparency and procedural fairness at its core.

The inspector-general will report on more than just their reviews. The inspector-general may, at their discretion, report on the outcomes of their ongoing monitoring and reporting, publicly and to the parliament, on whether the aged-care sector is meeting the objectives of the aged-care legislation, where Australian government bodies are performing in a way that enables an effective aged-care system and whether they are driving excellence. The bill also empowers the inspector-general to report to the government, to the parliament and to the public about the progress of implementing recommendations of the royal commission. Progress reports from the inspector-general will occur annually to ensure that the aged-care reform that we desperately need remains a priority. It's a priority of this government, unlike those who held the reins and the government benches over almost 10 years. We want to see this change because we understand how important aged care is.

The aged-care sector—we've got to remember not everyone ends up in a residential home—is more than just residential care. It's providing in-home support as well for our senior Australians. This bill and future bills will put aged care at the top of the Albanese Labor government's agenda. Senior Australians are at the top of the Albanese government's agenda. Why? Because we understand. We've been listening to the sector, and we've been listening to members of the community. It makes sure that the royal commission isn't just another report without any tangible outcomes attached to it. We will ensure that the royal commission's report does not gather dust like the 27 reports that were brought down under the previous Liberal-National governments. On their watch, we had inquiry after inquiry talking about the failings of the aged-care sector. We had reports looking into the workforce and the challenges in attracting people to work and to care for older Australians. They fell on deaf ears. They gathered dust. We on this side understand the significant part that aged care plays in our communities and how important it is.

I have faith in our minister and I have faith in our government that we will change the culture of aged care in this country. I have faith that the minister, the Hon. Anika Wells, will deliver the outcomes for the Australians who so desperately rely on having a government who understands and who cares about their wellbeing and that we will help continue that transition of the aged-care sector, which was built when we were last in government, as I said, by Minister Butler. We actually owe this to the Australian people. We owe it to every Australian who is ageing to ensure that the standard of aged care, whether it is in residential care or it's help they're getting to stay in their own home. After all, most people want help to stay in their own home for as long as they can.

We also have to understand that those people who are now going into residential care are going in when their health has deteriorated. They need more care, so they need more specialist well-trained staff who are going to be able to give them the care that they need. I want to give a big shout-out to all the esteemed people like Professor June Andrews and other experts who talk about the care that is needed by older Australians and what is happening internationally. These are people that have studied and researched the issues in relation to ageing such as dementia and other degenerative diseases. This research is so important to our community, as it is to the international community.

As I said before, Australia is a rich country. We are a lucky country, but we can't trust those opposite to care for and look after older Australians. That is very clear, and that is why we have to stay in government. That's why we're doing the work that needs to be done now, and that is why we are delivering on the election commitments that we gave, that we as a government were going to bring transparency and accountability back into the aged-care sector. I know that through the Prime Minister, the responsible minister and my caucus colleagues we will bring back accountability, transparency and quality care to the heart of aged care because that is what older Australians deserve. They deserve respect. They deserve to have the care that they need when they need it, whether it is to stay in their home longer or it is in residential aged-care homes.

So much more should have been done by those opposite in the previous 10 years, but they failed because they didn't care. They weren't listening, they didn't care, it was all too hard. We now have a government under Anthony Albanese, Minister Anika Wells and Minister Mark Butler who care, as the caucus cares about older Australians. So we will deliver that transparency, that accountability, that respect and that dignity that every Australian deserves. It is just unfortunate that the only governments who ever deliver for older Australians with dignity and respect are Labor governments. That is why I am proud to be here as part of the Albanese Labor government who is delivering for older Australians. We're delivering good care and we're delivering accountability and transparency.