Morrison government’s aged care package ‘lacks transparency’

Shadow Aged Care Minister Clare O’Neil has criticised the Morrison government’s $18 billion aged care package for lacking “transparency” across a range of issues. “Just one example is the government has given a $10 increase per bed per day to aged care providers - it's $3.2 billion of that overall package - with essentially no strings attached," she said. “Now there’s no reason for aged care providers to spend that on care which is what it should be spent on." Ms O’Neil told Sky News she was also concerned about how the “moderate” increase to the number of care minutes would be handled. “I’ve already heard stories of aged care providers saying that they’re going to count the time that a cleaner is in a resident’s room as care minutes,” she said. “Unfortunately, if we take this approach to aged care in Australia where essentially we’re not willing to crack down on dodgy providers we’re never going to see the type of change that we want to see. “That was what the government’s proposal put forward, a whole bunch of additional dollars going to providers essentially with no strings attached and I just don’t think that’s the right approach."

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