Eight months after the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety handed
down its interim report, Neglect, and the Coalition Government are yet to learn from
their mistakes.

The Commission’s final report Care, Dignity and Respect makes no less than 148
recommendations to the Government to address the aged care crisis. Ultimately, it
appears as though the Coalition is still focusing on the “neglect” component.

Why else would the Morrison Government still insist on ignoring, or outright refusing,
to act on some of the Commission’s crucial recommendations?

Blindly throwing money at the sector, with no strings attached and no guarantee that
it goes towards improving the quality of care that older Australians receive, will do
little to solve the longstanding issues.

After 8 years in office, the Coalition has learned little from their mistakes.

100 000 older Australians remain on the waitlist for a home care package.

That’s 100 000 parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who are being forced to wait
years to receive the care they are entitled to.

To date, the Coalition is refusing to take necessary steps to increase staffing levels,
ensure nurses are on site in our nursing homes, or to clear the backlog for home
care packages.

After months of continued neglect, the Coalition Government is finally bringing
forward debate, by way of the Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal
Commission Response No. 1) Bill 2021.

However, the Government’s response continues to fall far too short, for so many
older Australians who deserve better.