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

My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Colbeck. How many residents in aged care have passed away due to COVID-19? When did the minister first become aware that 33 deaths of older Australians in residential aged care had not been reported until today? Why did it take until August for the Commonwealth to change its reporting obligations for deaths in aged-care facilities?

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

The number of Australians who have passed away as of 8 am this morning in residential aged care is 457, unfortunately. Each one of those deaths is an absolute tragedy, and my condolences go to every family of those who have passed away from COVID-19 to date. For a period of time now, the Australian government has been working with the Victorian government through the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre to reconcile the data that is held in the Victorian systems with respect to infections and also deaths.

As of 12 August this year, by agreement with the Victorian government through the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre, we have been using the Victorian data, understanding that that data would need to be reconciled. I became aware of the difference in the numbers this morning when we were advised from Victoria that they would be announcing that reconciliation. I wasn't aware of what the difference in numbers might be, specifically, until this morning, when I received that advice through from the secretary of my department. My understanding is that the reconciliation process and the recording of COVID-19 deaths in aged care will continue. Victorians are still working on that as they manage the process through their FES system and through their births, deaths and marriages records. We are working closely with them through that to continue that reconciliation process.

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

Senator Gallagher, a supplementary question?

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

Today, the Minister for Health announced additional funding to support the COVID-19 aged-care crisis. Why has it taken the deaths of more than 457 Australians in aged care and seven months of the COVID-19 crisis for the Morrison government to finally provide these resources?

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

The announcement that Minister Hunt and I made today was an extension of existing programs to provide continued support to the aged-care sector through the COVID-19 outbreak. The first round, the uplift for aged-care providers, was announced back in May. The retention bonus for workforce was announced in March. The program to apply for one worker, one site was announced in conjunction with the Victorian government last month. So the measures that we announced today were actually an extension, a continuation, of our plan to help the aged-care sector manage through the COVID-19 outbreak.

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

Senator Gallagher, a final supplementary question?

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

Minister, considering tracking deaths from COVID-19 should be a critical element of basic pandemic planning, how on earth is it possible that you did not know exactly how many older Australians in residential aged care had passed away from COVID-19 until today?

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

As I explained in my answer to the primary question, by agreement with the Victorian government, we have since 11 August been using the Victorian data to reconcile deaths in Victoria. We had an understanding that there were some differences in the data, and those differences have actually been publicly reported for a period of time. We—the Australian government and the Victorian government—understood that there wouldn't be a reconciliation required to understand that. We made a requirement that aged-care providers report all of that information into the Victorian system, and that work has continued cooperatively. There are some differences in the way that some of the deaths are classified and we continue to work our way through that process, cooperatively with Victoria.