THIS week we learned that the Albanese Government is looking to break its “no new taxes” pledge to find a way to fund aged care. I am so concerned about regional aged care that I have called the first-ever national regional aged-care summit in Mildura on July 6.
This follows the very successful regional health workforce summit I hosted earlier this year as the shadow assistant minister for regional health.
In Mildura, we heard from those at the coalface in our region – and beyond – on how we can build the workforce of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals that we desperately need in Mallee and across regional Australia.
It is no news that aged care is also in crisis. I continue to receive very concerning advice from providers in Mallee that they are in desperate need of help.
Naturally Labor sees a new tax as a solution to any problem but, in regional aged care especially, the fundamental problem is, as it is across regional health care, the recruitment and sustainable retention of the workforce.
Time and again Aged Care Minister Anika Wells and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have “made no apologies” for legislating that registered nurses must be in aged-care facilities 24 hours despite the overwhelming evidence this simply is not possible, particularly in regional Australia.
Twenty-three aged-care facilities nationwide have closed since September last year under the watch of Ms Wells and her government, with many more threatening to close, while she puts her head in the sand about reasons and solutions.
Recently in Question Time, Ms Wells again refused to admit that closing aged-care facilities are the government’s fault.
I have invited the Labor Assistant Minister for Regional Health Emma McBride to attend the summit.
I’m urging the Federal Government to engage constructively on solutions, not more taxes or punishing those that saved for retirement by excluding them from supported aged-care places.
