Ben Small (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. It has been 14 days since the Prime Minister released the final report from the royal commission—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Pause, please, Senator Small. I can't hear the question. Senator Small, you can commence the question again. I noted who it was directed to.

Ben Small (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the 14 days since the Prime Minister released it, can the minister please update the Senate on the final report from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety?

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

I thank Senator Small for his question. The final report of the royal commission was provided to the Australian government on 26 February and was publicly released following tabling in the parliament on 1 March. It is a very significant report. The final report, Care, Dignity and Respect, comprises eight volumes totalling more than 2,500 pages and includes 148 recommendations. The government thanks the royal commissioners, the Hon. Tony Pagone QC, Lynelle Briggs AO and the Hon. Richard Tracey AM RFD QC, for their considerable work in conducting the royal commission and all of those who contributed throughout the course of the inquiry.

The royal commission's report provided some very difficult reading. I thank all those brave individuals, families, carers and aged-care workers who gave evidence to the commission under difficult circumstances. Now we owe it to all of them to act on recommendations of the report and to acknowledge the significant and sweeping proposals required to reform the aged-care sector. We must do better. It was this government that called the royal commission and it will be this government that delivers. We will not shy away from implementing the reforms needed to deliver the care our senior Australians require and deserve. The scale and scope of the report and the expectations of the Australian community demand a comprehensive understanding of its outcomes and its recommendations. We intend to provide a full response to the report by 31 May, as the recommendations of the Royal Commission ask.

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

Senator Small, a supplementary question?

Ben Small (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise the Senate on the Australian government's response so far to the royal commission?

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

Thanks, Senator Small. The government will immediately invest an additional $452.2 million as an initial step in responding to the report. This includes $18.4 million to enhance the oversight of the government's Home Care Packages Program, to deliver better value for senior Australians and the Australian taxpayer; $32 million to immediately enhance the capacity of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and provide greater regulation around the use of restraints in aged care, as we've previously committed; and $189.8 million to residential aged-care providers to provide stability and maintain services. And this equates to around $760 per resident in metropolitan residential aged care and $1,145 for those in rural and regional areas.

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

Senator Small, a final supplementary question?

Ben Small (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister outline what other measures the government has undertaken to implement in response to the royal commission?

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

Thank you, Senator Small. I can. We have committed $90 million to support a viability fund to assist those facilities which are facing financial challenges, particularly as the sector begins to restructure to respond to change and the choice of people to live at home for longer; $91.8 million to grow the skilled and professional aged-care workforce, recruiting up to 18,000 personal care workers into both home care and residential care; and $30.1 million to strengthen the governance of aged-care providers and legislated governance obligations across the entire sector.

This will be a significant reform for this country and for the aged-care sector. As I've said a number of times, it is this government's determination to ensure that those reforms are undertaken, and, of course, as the Prime Minister and I have said, we will respond more fully to the recommendations of the royal commission in the budget.