4 years ago
100 ASSAULTS IN AGED CARE A WEEK
Julie Collins MP
Shocking new figures have revealed there are still more than 100 reports of assault and sexual assault in Australian aged care homes each week.
The latest figures from the Aged Quality and Safety Commission, which were tabled at the Royal Commission, underscore the shocking state of Australia’s aged care system.
Sadly we know unreported assault and sexual assault in aged care are even greater than these numbers.
Despite these completely unacceptable figures, the Morrison Government is still yet to introduce a serious incident response scheme that would respond to cases of assault and abuse in Australia’s aged care system.
It has now been more than three years since this scheme was first recommended by the Australian Law Reform Commission following its landmark investigation of elder abuse in Australia.
The Morrison Government has only announced ‘initial’ funding for a scheme that may be operational by 1 July 2021.
A separate review commissioned by the Government following the Oakden nursing home tragedy also recommended introducing the scheme in 2017.
How can anyone trust this Government to properly respond the Royal Commission into Aged Care when it takes more than three years to respond to such an important recommendation?
Labor has been calling for the implementation of this scheme since both reports were released in 2017.
Day after day the evidence mounts of serious neglect in aged care and every day all we see from the Morrison Government is running away, passing the buck and not accepting responsibility for its own failures.
Neglect. That’s the legacy of this Government when it comes to aged care.
Australians deserve better.
The latest figures from the Aged Quality and Safety Commission, which were tabled at the Royal Commission, underscore the shocking state of Australia’s aged care system.
Sadly we know unreported assault and sexual assault in aged care are even greater than these numbers.
Despite these completely unacceptable figures, the Morrison Government is still yet to introduce a serious incident response scheme that would respond to cases of assault and abuse in Australia’s aged care system.
It has now been more than three years since this scheme was first recommended by the Australian Law Reform Commission following its landmark investigation of elder abuse in Australia.
The Morrison Government has only announced ‘initial’ funding for a scheme that may be operational by 1 July 2021.
A separate review commissioned by the Government following the Oakden nursing home tragedy also recommended introducing the scheme in 2017.
How can anyone trust this Government to properly respond the Royal Commission into Aged Care when it takes more than three years to respond to such an important recommendation?
Labor has been calling for the implementation of this scheme since both reports were released in 2017.
Day after day the evidence mounts of serious neglect in aged care and every day all we see from the Morrison Government is running away, passing the buck and not accepting responsibility for its own failures.
Neglect. That’s the legacy of this Government when it comes to aged care.
Australians deserve better.