One figure from Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ Tuesday Federal Budget stood out to me.
Labor has been happily spruiking the $17.7 billion it has spent on aged care wage rises since the 2022 Election in its press releases.
But it was the Morrison Government that incidentally committed the same amount to its original response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety in 2021 – $17.7 billion.
Reflecting on the 2021 Coalition Government’s Budget, it’s important to remember that the then-Coalition Government fronted up the cash for the forward estimates which Labor has now spent three years delivering on the Commissioners’ recommendations.
The Morrison Government (quite fairly) left it to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to respond to the Commissioners’ recommendation for an increase in award wages for aged care workers and nurses.
The Albanese Government also left it to the FWC to make the final call before picking up the baton to commit to the increases.
So, both sides respectively deserve the credit for collectively delivering $35 billion to the sector that was previously not in the forward estimates.
Where the Labor Government deserves full credit is in establishing the Aged Care Taskforce.
Its recommendations have paved the way for the new system of co-contribution that will start from 1 July – and set the sector on the pathway to financial sustainability.
The issue is – of course – the growing red tape that has come with the reform process.
The Government’s final report card ahead of the soon-to-be announced election must be a big tick for funding – but a fail for complexity.
