There have been crickets, once again, from the Australian Government this week on its response to the Aged Care Taskforce recommendations, chaired by the Minister for Aged Care, Anika Wells.
The Minister has stepped aboard a flight to Paris to be at the Paris Olympic Games in her other role as the Minister for Sport, but not before releasing a press release "Australian Government ensuring more nurses in aged care homes". What the media release really told us was "Two in every three aged care homes are failing to meet mandatory care minutes as 109 homes fail to supply data".
In recent weeks we have learned negotiations on the Taskforce reforms have been escalated to the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, who is a member of the Cabinet. With parliament not resuming until mid August, the aged care sector is left in the dark. The funding landscape it is operating in is an impossible situation. StewartBrown this month said half of Australia's aged care homes continue to operate at a loss and the situation will worsen.
This is reducing equity in the sector, inhibiting innovation, discouraging investment in existing building stock and new builds, and causing concerns around care delivery to society's most vulnerable people.
"Critical reform cannot be cherry picked, so the prolonged silence by Government on this matter, is yet another example of politics impeding progress and in fact a long-term sustainable pathway for senior Australians, Whiddon CEO Chris Mamarelis told The Weekly SOURCE last Thursday. He added the sector feels let down by the lack of implementation of the recommendations or the fact that the Government has not even responded to them.
Now the first-term Albanese government is in a difficult place. The latest 'The Australian Financial Review' Freshwater Strategy poll shows the Coalition ahead of the Labor government by 51% to 49% on a two-party-preferred basis. With preferences taken into account, the poll shows a 3.2% swing against Labor, which if reflected in next year's election could cost the Government seven seats.
The Government is also embroiled in the crisis surrounding the CFMEU, and seems powerless against the rising cost of living. And earlier this month, Labor Senator Fatima Payman, Australia's first hijab-wearing federal politician, crossed the floor and has been exiled from the party.
Does the Prime Minister and Cabinet have too much on their hands to consider the Taskforce recommendations in this climate?
After months being told by Aged Care Minister Anika Wells' office the Government's response to the Taskforce recommendations is close, have the vital and necessary reforms become just another political football?
