Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Colbeck. Given the multiple warnings, including the interim report of the royal commission entitled 'Neglect', warnings from the Northern Hemisphere, warnings from experts and unions and the warnings presented by Dorothy Henderson Lodge in March and Newmarch House in April, how could Mr Morrison possibly claim on 29 July that the risks to aged care couldn't be 'anticipated or foreshadowed'?

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

In fact, the report to Newmarch Lodge that we released last week also stated that some of the risks and some of the events that had occurred couldn't have been anticipated. So it's not just Mr Morrison or the government saying those things; that was actually part of the report that was conducted into Newmarch—

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That you paid for.

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

That is a pretty low thing to say, Senator Gallagher. You want to cast a slur on the health professionals who did a professional report into Newmarch Lodge. I reckon that's a pretty low thing to do. All through this pandemic, this government has taken the advice of the health experts—of the Chief Medical Officer, of the chief health officers and the deputy chief health officers of each state and all of the officials—who have provided us with medical advice through this pandemic. We have based our actions on the advice of those medical professionals—all of them.

The initial work that was done through the national COVID-19 health response pulled together the hospitals agreements that provided support, particularly in Victoria when things got really bad there, in the context of places for people to go and also for surge workforce. The CDNA provided comprehensive work and guidance to the aged-care sector with respect to infection control and management. All of those things combined were where we acted based on the advice of those health professionals who put us in the best position possible to manage our way through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order. Senator Wong, a supplementary question?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Despite this minister claiming that he's responded 'incredibly well', that we're 'extremely fortunate' and that the government's response is 'a high-water mark', this minister has failed to give one example of action—not discussion, not talking but action—he's taken in response to warning after warning after warning. Don't the 200,000 Australians in aged care deserve a minister who will get it right and take real action instead of endless talkfests and self-congratulation?

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

Again, the opposition take words that have been used by me and put them in a different form to serve their own political purpose. Quite frankly, the dishonesty of the Labor Party, who continue to misuse and misrepresent my words, becomes a bit tiring. It is clear that we have continued to act on the advice of those health professionals who have guided us all the way through the COVID-19 pandemic. In working and talking to the case managers that are looking after each of the facilities that have a COVID-19 outbreak, I have seen them acting on learnings from previous experience and ensuring that capacity is available. We have continued, as I've said a number of times, to build the capacity that we require, whether that be in waste management, whether that be surge workforce, whether that be— (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, a final supplementary question?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given that this morning not one of the minister's colleagues rose to their feet in his defence, given that Mr Morrison has sidelined him from decisions in his own portfolio and given that the Prime Minister has handballed defence of him to Minister Hunt in the House of Representatives in question time today, can he explain why older Australians should have to wait for a reshuffle before they get a minister who's capable of getting it right?

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

As I said this morning, the thing I have not done through this debate and through this pandemic is attempt to play politics with it like Labor has. I have spoken at every turn to my shadow minister, answered her questions, provided information to her and, to be frank, not received much advice that's of use. I have rung Labor members of parliament—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left!

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

to provide them advice and provide them information with respect to outbreaks in their seats. I have escalated issues they have brought to me to ensure that their constituents were properly looked after as part of the way that we deal with this pandemic. So I will not be verballed by Labor. I will not have my words misrepresented by— (Time expired)