Industry in crisis and minister has no idea: opposition

The aged care sector became a political football in federal parliament as MPs on both sides debated the merits of the Rudd Government’s planned stimulus package.

Several coalition MPs, including opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull, slammed the government for not targeting the industry in its $42 billion nation-building spending spree.

Mr Turnbull noted that while the package included a $14 billion investment in schools, it offered no support for health and aged care infrastructure.

“We have to ask this question: is the most urgent infrastructure deficiency requirement in Australia primary school assembly halls and libraries?” he asked.

“What about hospitals? What about nursing homes and aged care?”

The Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot was singled out for criticism when she defended government funding for aged care.

Shadow Health Minister, Peter Dutton said the minister was out of touch because she refused to acknowledge the extent of the industry’s problems.

Mr Dutton noted that several not-for-profit providers had reported that they would not be applying for high care beds.

“The industry’s in crisis and you have no idea what’s going on!” he said.

Mrs Elliot defended the government’s position, saying that the industry was receiving “record funding”.

She described the response to the current Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR) as “healthy and competitive”.

“Indeed, when it came to high care we had a huge amount [of applications],” the Minister said.

“When it came to community care, we had a 10 to one oversubscription. What that shows is there is a huge interest from providers when it comes to applying for those particular places.”

Mrs Elliot said the coalition had neglected the industry for 12 years and was now resorting to “talking down the aged care sector”.

Victorian Nationals MP, Darren Chester, and NSW Liberal MP, Sussan Ley, also criticised the government for neglecting aged care.

“[In my electorate] I have a lack of aged care facilities and I have older people being forced to travel too far to spend their final days away from their loved ones,” said Ms Ley.

“So, if we are talking about $14 billion to build things, perhaps some of that could be allocated to aged care facilities or to hospitals.”