Anthony Albanese has broken his headline election commitment to older Australians to have a registered nurse on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in every aged care home by 1 July 2023.
Yesterday, the Aged Care Minister conceded that the Government’s legislated policy is not deliverable, as they finally acknowledge the impacts of the workforce crisis.
The Coalition along with sector experts have been warning the Government about this for months.
We knew that Labor’s expediated, one-size-fits-all approach to aged care regulation failed to consider the significant workforce challenges currently before the sector.
The Government has continued to cause serious distress and uncertainty for aged care providers and the older Australians they care for by bringing forward the Royal Commission’s timelines and imposing rigid constraints.
In doing so, they were more focused on trying to tick and flick an election commitment than on genuinely responding to the needs of older Australians.
The Coalition supports older Australians receiving the best possible care, and we condemn Labor’s actions as reckless and damaging.
The Coalition demands a guarantee from the Minister that no more facilities will close as a result of the Government’s actions.
ENDS
@Anne_Ruston
/AnneRuston