The fact that a letter from the Bob Brown Foundation caused the environment minister to reopen and 11-year-old approval is absurd; that sort of sovereign risk shouldn’t exist for anyone, in any industry. And so, my private senators’ bill puts a 3-year timeframe on requests from anyone under the existing process to have a decision reconsidered. After that, it can only be reconsidered on the request of an appropriate minister from the state jurisdiction where the approval has been held. So, it’s a very simple piece of legislation. It retains the existing systems and processes for a period of 3 years – so we’re not locking people out of the process – but we’re putting a reasonable time frame on it, and after that a process whereby it’s limited to a minister from the state or territory where an approval has been granted to request a reconsideration of a decision.

We think that’s a reasonable change to the EPBC Act. It provides certainty to industry, to investors, to communities, to people working in those affected industries, and it provides a good way for us all to move forward. So, a simple change to the EPBC Act; one that everyone should be able to get behind because it doesn’t cut anybody out. But it provides, importantly, certainty for industry, for communities and for people working in those businesses. And particularly for those who have made significant investments into first applying for an environmental approval, getting that approval passed, and then wanting to invest in a major project that requires approval under the EPBC Act.

Journalist

So, there’s still an avenue to review after the three years, it’s just limited to state and territory ministers?

Senator Colbeck:

That’s correct. There is still capacity for review of a decision but the capacity to request that review is limited to an appropriate minister within the state or territory where the approval has been given.

Journalist:

Why three years?

Senator Colbeck:

Well, I think that’s a reasonable time; we don’t want to lock people out of the system completely. We want the opportunity for people, for the community to be able to have their say and obviously they can do that during the period of the approval. It may be that the Parliament decides that it wants to change that, shorten it for example. My private senators’ bill puts three years on the table as a part of the process and obviously after three years it’s only the state minister. I think that’s an appropriate period of time, we can’t be accused of locking people out, locking the community out but it gives some certainty and some surety to industry – who are the ones, after all, who are investing their money into these really important projects, programs, industries that support our local communities, particularly in regional Australia. And so they have some surety going ahead that they’re not going to be knocked over on the whim of a letter from the Bob Brown Foundation, for example, which is what we’ve seen with Macquarie Harbour. Minister Plibersek didn’t need to make the decision to reopen this approval, as she claims. She could have said “No, I’m happy with the existing approval, we’ll continue to work with the state under the systems that they have…”.

This put some parameters and some time frames around it, and after that – the process changes.

Journalist:

So, it goes back to state and territory ministers for review after that three-year period, and then do they choose to put it back? Does it start the three years again if they say “Yes, we do think this needs to go back to a review”, or is it up to them to make the final decision, and is it trying to take the powers away from the federal minister and EPBC Act?

Senator Colbeck:

No, the powers stay with the federal minister. The point is that the only people who can request a review will be the appropriate state or territory minister within the state or territory where the approval has been granted. For example, in Tasmania, it could have been the Minister for Parks and Environment requesting the federal minister to review a decision that had previously been made; that is the restriction that’s being put in place as part of this piece of legislation.

Journalist:

What’s your chances of getting this through the federal Parliament, Richard?

Senator Colbeck:

Well, look, we’ll start now talking to members of the crossbench. I think this is a very reasonable piece of legislation, as I said it’s not designed to lock people out; it’s designed to give people the opportunity to have their say but to put some parameters around that process to give industry some certainty. I think that’s fair; I think that’s reasonable. Obviously, I’ll be working with industry across the country because this affects a lot of industries, here in Tasmania our aquaculture industry, our forestry industry, some parts of agriculture. But, also, particularly mining critical minerals – all of those sorts of things - and to be frank, even wind farms and solar farms require EPBC Act approval. Certainty for all of that investment I think is really important, this put parameters around the process to open an existing approval up for review. That’s all it does. It’s not changing the rest of the system or process; it’s putting some parameters around the process for review of an existing decision.

Journalist:

If this doesn’t pass in this term of Parliament, will you take it to the federal election?

Senator Colbeck:

Well, I’m sure Jonno will have some things to say about that. I’m hoping that we do, in fact I’m sure that we will. We’ve said that we want to make sure that there’s some surety. As a party, we want to make sure there’s surety for organisations who are seeking and gaining approval under the EPBC Act. We’ve been very strong, I think, with our words in relation, particularly in support of the salmon industry and the mining industry here in Tasmania. It’s absurd that we sit at a situation right now where on the West Coast and North-West Coast of Tasmania you’ve got the salmon industry with uncertainty; you’ve got MMG at Rosebery with uncertainty, and you’ve got a wind farm on Robin’s Island with uncertainty, with respect to the EPBC Act. We think that’s absurd. We want more certainty around the approvals process, and we’ve been very, very strong on that; and this is a process to provide some certainty to industry once an approval has been received.

Journalist:

Do you think this legislation is enough of a threat to Tanya Plibersek to get her to rush along on her decision-making around these things like salmon farming on the West Coast?

Senator Colbeck:

This is not designed to be a threat to anybody. This is designed to put some parameters around the existing provisions in the bill so that industry, communities, people working in those industries can have some certainty that once an approval has been granted, it won’t be overturned or reopened on the whim as we’ve seen with salmon farming on the West Coast of Tasmania, to extraordinary costs. And I’m sure Luke can talk about that to you later.

Journalist:

Is this a [inaudible] on federal Labor ahead of the federal election?

Senator Colbeck:

No, it’s actually a simple piece of legislation [inaudible] issue that came to my mind. I’ve spoken to my former environment ministers [inaudible] they are aware of this issue, they’ve discussed it as a group of environment ministers at the state level, post Minister Plibersek making this decision. Minister Plibersek’s decision created a precedent. This piece of legislation is simply to look into it, to see how we deal with that precedent. Should environmental approvals open-ended and at the whim of an environmental group? I don’t think they should.

Journalist:

So it’s not about making it easier for Mal Hingston to get elected?

Senator Colbeck:

This is a very practical piece of legislation that puts some parameters around the opening of an approval previously granted under the EPBC Act. It’s that simple. Now, would I be happy if the Labor party said it supported it? Absolutely I would. I’d be delighted if the crossbench would support it. I think it’s a very, very sensible solution to a precedent that’s been created by the current Environment Minister. It’s that simple. It’s about providing a solution to a problem that has occurred, we’re putting a potential solution on the table. I hope that my colleagues in the Parliament decide to support it.

Journalist:

Does it appear to you that state and federal Labor are split on this issue?

Senator Colbeck:

Well, they’ve got a serious problem. State Labor say they support salmon farming but if you look at the actions of the federal Parliamentary party, where this industry – that’s worth over $1 billion to the Tasmanian economy – still has uncertainty; is still being required to make submissions to a process that was opened up by a decision of Minister Plibersek. It’s absolutely absurd and I can understand the Tasmanian community being completely confused about where Labor actually sits on salmon farming. Because you’ve got the federal government through the Minister for Environment doing one thing, you’ve got the state parliamentary party saying something else, so what is the real answer to that question? I can understand the communities of Tasmania being completely confused about where Labor stands on really important issues of natural resource use. Because they’re looking to protect their own seats from Green attack in inner-city Sydney and Melbourne, and that’s exactly what Minister Plibersek is doing, rather than supporting our regional communities, where there are vital jobs where these business and industries form such an important part of the local community. I mean, got to Strahan, and two-thirds or three-quarters of the kids at Strahan Primary School are from families who work in the salmon industry. That’s how important this industry is. Take those students out, and the viability of that community comes into question. It’s an absurd proposition. From an industry where the workers value their environment, they work hard to do the right thing every day to look after it. It’s an industry that’s investing its own funds into the survival of the Maugean skate, in the oxygenation of Macquarie Harbour, in the actual and practical solutions. And yet, you’ve got Labor ministers protecting themselves from Greens attack in Sydney and Melbourne, at the expense of our communities in Tasmania, and I think that’s outrageous. And that’s why I think it’s very, very easy to understand why Tasmanians are so confused about where Labor really stands on this.

Journalist:

Senator Duniam, do you want to explain how this doesn’t undermine environmental protections?

Senator Duniam:

Well, it doesn't undermine environmental protections, because the law of the land under the EPBC Act still applies for as it is today for 3 years, and then after that, a minister of a state or territory government will be able to request an initiation of a review. Now, I expect under this scenario, with these laws, the Bob Brown Foundation and the taxpayer-funded Environmental Defenders Office could lobby a state minister to request a review, that is still open to them. But to have this open-ended loophole, that is being exploited by Green anti-jobs activists, is not what we need in this country. They’ve found a new loophole and they’re going to exploit it. We need certainty now for investors, because investors bring jobs. People need jobs to pay their mortgages and power bills; the people of Strahan and anyone working in the salmon industry today are looking at what Minister Plibersek is doing and wondering whether they’ll have a job at Christmas, or after the next election, or which other industry is going to be impacted; is it mining? Is it forestry? Is it land development; the people we’ve tasked to help deal with our housing crisis? This bill is sensible legislation. The Coalition supports it. The test is going to be for Labor, this is an opportunity for them to put their money where their mouth is. They all turn up in the Australian Senate, and they tell us they support the salmon industry, and they’re fighting the good fight. Well, if you want to do the right thing by the salmon industry, or any other primary industry, support this legislation. With us, they have the numbers to pass through the Parliament next week, if they chose to do so. So, the onus is on them; are they for this industry? Are they for these jobs? Are they for the community of Strahan or are they against it?

Journalist:

Is this Coalition policy now? Do you take it to the federal election?

Senator Duniam:

It’s Coalition policy, we’re advancing this bill. There will be more to say on our broader reforms for the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, the EPBC Act. Tanya Plibersek promised that we’d have new laws in the Parliament by the end of 2023. We have none to replace the EPBC Act. We’ve got new laws for a new green bureaucracy, but it is the same old broken laws we had before us. For two and a half years she has sat on her hands and done nothing. That is why Richard Colbeck, with the support of the Coalition, is bringing forward legislation to try and close these loopholes being exploited by activists. We are standing up for those people who want their jobs to be safe, when this Labor government is doing nothing.

Journalist:

If Tanya Plibersek came out tomorrow with her findings on and answer to her review of the EPBC Act and gave some surety to those salmon farming workers, would Senator Colbeck withdraw?

Senator Duniam:

Well, no, we should not be in this situation. This uncertainty that has been lingering over this industry for a year now should never have been allowed to happen. A government that says it’s a friend of the worker and wants to see a future made in Australia should back industries that actually create jobs and productivity in this country. My hunch is, there will not be a decision before an election, she will leave that uncertainty hanging out there, she should support the bill. The Labor party, the friend of the worker, should support workers by supporting this legislation. As I say, they’ve got an opportunity to back in what they say in parliament by supporting this legislation and preventing this from happening again into the future.

Journalist:

The federal government likes to say that this EPBC Act kerfuffle, I suppose, is due to John Howard bringing it in, did he get it wrong at the time?

Senator Duniam:

No. The laws are more than twenty years old, they’re I think twenty-five years old now, and the laws were fit for purpose at the time, they’ve been amended umpteen times, and we now have an unworkable situation, we’ve got green activists who are finding loopholes to exploit every day. They’ve moved from the forestry crew, from the salmon pens, from the mining leases, into the courtrooms, and they are finding ways to exploit this legislation, to jeopardise job creating, economy driving projects like the ones we’re talking about today. So that’s why it’s important that these laws are passed, to provide certainty to the people of Strahan, to the people in regional communities right across Australia and to people who want to invest their money in creating jobs in Australia.

Journalist:

So, for you, it’s more about the jobs as opposed to shutting down [inaudible].

Senator Duniam:

Well, green activists have one thing in mind, they say it’s about protecting the environment but in their mind, they can only protect the environment while there is no industry occurring. I totally reject that view. That is not an accurate view of the world. Good environmental outcomes are not mutually exclusive from good economic outcomes, and on that basis, we think this legislation protects jobs, provides for good environmental outcomes and the green activists need to get back to basics, and if they want to go and protect the environment they can find good projects to support, like riparian zone revegetation, protecting wildlife and endangered species out there in the field, not in the courtrooms with spurious challenges like the ones we’ve seen here.

Journalist:

Is this a sign that you’re going to try and wedge federal Labor on salmon and the environment during the election campaign, that that’s going to be one of your key election issues?

Senator Duniam:

Well unfortunately the Australian Labor Party, the friend of the worker, have wedged themselves on this one. You’ve got every Labor Senator from Tasmania standing up in the Senate saying they support this industry, but doing nothing about it. It’s been twelve months since this process started and every single person dependent on that industry for an income, particularly in Strahan, is still waiting for a decision. They don’t know if their jobs are secure. And so this is not about wedge politics. If Labor are genuine in what they say, they’ll support the bill this week and the issue will go away. Tanya Plibersek could be lobbied to make a decision tomorrow, and her colleagues in Tasmania, Anne Urquhart, Carol Brown, Brian Mitchell, Julie Collins, the Minister for Fisheries I might add, should be demanding a decision be made now, so that we end this uncertainty. This is not about wedge politics, we’re doing what Labor won’t do, and that is creating certainty where uncertainty exists and we have these massive question marks hanging over job creating industries in this state.

Journalist:

Would your party rule out doing any kinds of deals to secure support for this legislation?

Senator Duniam:

Well it’s up to every other party in the Senate as to what they do. As I say, the Coalition’s right behind it, if the Labor party decided that they actually wanted to put their money where their mouth is and back in salmon workers and mine workers and foresters, they could vote for this legislation as well. As Senator Colbeck has said, we are open to amendments, it’s not about cutting deals it’s about doing the right thing for the people we represent. Labor came to office saying they’d fix everyone’s problems, they’d grow the economy, they’d bring down the cost of living, they’ve done none of that. They’ve got an opportunity here through the leadership the Coalition and Senator Colbeck have shown. They can follow our lead and support this legislation, and these issues will start to go away.

Luke Martin:

Well, firstly, it’s rare when you actually find commonality of agreement across all sides of politics, but also in areas of debate around issues around resource investment that happen. But I can tell you there is one, everyone agrees that Australia’s environmental laws are amiss. The EPBC Act is well past due for renewal, and that’s something that Tanya Plibersek committed to do. She’s now kicked the can down the curb on that, pushed into, I guess, the next term of government, and no line of sight on when that will be addressed. And as I say, both sides of politics agree on that, I find, the conservation movement agrees on that, and certainly most sides of industry agree that current laws are failing on a number of levels and clearly, the situation we are going through is one of them. It is an extraordinary thing that you could be heading towards another Christmas, the end of another school year on the West Coast, with families who don’t know whether they will be sending the kids to school at Strahan Primary in February 2025 because of a process that was initiated not through regulators, not through scientists, but through legal letters drafted by lawyers for the Bob Brown Foundation and the Australia Institute. That’s what commenced the process over nearly twelve months ago and has created enormous uncertainty and division right across the community. I think everyone ultimately agrees that there are ways you manage the environment in practical terms but you don’t have a situation where you can have a complex, expensive, time-consuming process initiated through activists effectively gaining a loophole in the laws. What we really welcome is rather than kick the can down the road on reviewing and reforming the EPBC Act, Senator Colbeck and the Coalition are taking the initiative to actually try and address one of those loopholes now. Whether it makes a difference for the process we’re going through, I don’t know, whether it could be applied retrospectively if it went through I’m not sure, but we certainly see that this is absolutely creating a playbook for the activists to apply to potentially other sites than our industry. There are other EPBC decisions that are hanging over our industry and for sites that operate right across south-east Tasmania, but also clearly for other industries across the state and I think one of the things that has dawned on a lot of other industries across Tasmania is that you can go through a really challenging process, the EPBC process can take years to get approvals, and no-one envisages that twelve years later that approval can be re-opened, effectively, not through science, not through regulation but through some carefully crafted letters from lawyers. Clearly that is beyond most people’s expectations of how the system should work.

Journalist:

You don’t think other industries should face that same uncertainty that the salmon industry has?

Luke Martin:

I think most people would understand that you don’t have a situation where a council re-opens the approvals on your house ten years after you’ve moved into it. When you’re making substantial investments as an industry, creating jobs, when you’re making long-term decisions, plans, you do it on a basis of certainty. And clearly, the process we’re going through completely represents sovereign risk right across the system and that can be applied across the renewable energy sector, obviously the mining industry, forestry industry, and if I wore my old hat, certainly nature tourism projects across the World Heritage areas. Everyone understands that you need a process for reviewing decisions when new information becomes available, in the case of the Maugean skate, absolutely, you need to look at the science and the research that’s made available, and you need to work through the system to make sure that you’re applying conditions and applying standards that ensure that those conservation risks are managed, but you don’t do it through a contested legal process initiated through third-party activist groups. We know particularly the BBF and the Environmental Defenders Office, they have a lot of resources, they have a lot of money, they have a lot of well-funded lawyers, they have got the absolute resource to keep applying this time and time again against industries right across the Tasmanian economy and indeed right across the country.

Journalist:

We’ve seen people get into near physical altercations debating this issue at the pub on the weekends, is there an element of bringing in this legislation so close to a federal election, do you think that could further stoke division and potentially be dangerous?

Luke Martin:

I frankly don’t give a stuff about the federal election, what I care about is the kids on the West Coast being able to go to school in their town next March. I think it’s very easy for political commentators to talk about election speculation. What we’re trying to do is go through a process to provide certainty for our workers and communities, and again, minimise division. And frankly when you have a drawn-out, twelve-month long process, where you get well-resourced positions on both sides of the debate, you create division. And you can’t have industries in Tasmania that continue to go through the cycle of debate with the premise of federal election politics playing over it. It is really challenging to see what’s going on on this issue, it’s a small community on the West Coast, and people obviously care deeply about the environment they care deeply about the community that they’re a part of, and obviously a lot of Tasmanians care deeply about conservation of our native species, we’re all in common agreement about what we want to achieve here. But I think what we’re ultimately also seeing is a debate about science that’s not constructive and a really confusing, frustrating and drawn-out process that’s just been allowed to run its course to a limitless time and again, I really hope the federal election isn’t a factor. Unfortunately, a realist understanding is that that probably is what’s going to happen, but certainly from our perspective what we’re holding onto is the science, in the last three weeks we’ve seen IMAS, who are the researchers doing the work on the Harbour, come out and say that the population numbers of the Maugean skate have stabilised, that didn’t come as a surprise for us, we’ve known and expected that to be the case. We’ve also seen the EPA come out showing the conditions in the Harbour are the best for over a decade, proving the adaptive management that they’ve adopted, reducing the loadings in the Harbour are working, it supports what we’ve been saying all along. You do not take this enormous, confrontational step of removing the entire industry from the Harbour when there is science to prove that the adaptive management of that industry is actually achieving the results that we want, which is conditions in the Harbour that allow the skate to prosper, and recover, but also supports and underpins the regional development.

Journalist:

Just quickly Luke, have you got any update on when a decision is expected and when does it need to come?

Luke Martin:

No, look, our concern is Christmas, our concern is school years, frankly, because it’s a down tools decision. That’s the risk here, it could be a down tools decision. Again the EPBC process, for its enormous flaws, it also never envisaged a situation like this being able to be applied over the livestock industry. So, the conditions about how any decision would be applied, the legal ramifications of that, are all things that we are scenario planning for, but again our time frame, we would like this decision resolved quickly, we believe it can be resolved quickly, we think the science supports it being resolved but we also know full well you can guarantee that there are a whole set of employees sitting in those activist organisations ready to apply all sorts of legal injunctions to [inaudible]. It suits their agenda and ultimately they’re not going to be satisfied if any resolution doesn’t see the destruction of an industry.

Michael Bailey:

Firstly, I might start by saying congratulations to Senator Colbeck [inaudible] very important legislation. We will see where federal Labor’s heart lies, whether it lies with workers or whether it lies with chasing inner-city Syndey and Melbourne Greens seats. At the end of the day, we know that the environmental protest organisations have recognised environmental processes across Australia, we know that the EPBC process is a quagmire of delays, which is created by the lawyers of these organisations trying to delay, they don’t try and stop projects they try and delay them, long enough so the developers give up. We have at the moment about $20bn worth of projects sitting in this office in Canberra waiting for approvals, at a time when Tasmania struggles for energy, we’re in the middle of an energy crisis, we can’t get a wind farm up. At a time when we’re struggling for jobs and struggling for a future for families in Tasmania, we can’t get surety around projects and industries that are critical for our state, critical for the world. It is time for a change, it’s great to see this brought forward. This doesn’t take away the voice of local communities, what it does is just put a sensible time frame around these approvals. At the moment, the system’s broken and it needs to be fixed.

Journalist:

And you think that this will be beneficial not just for the salmon industry but for things like the renewable energy industry?

Michael Bailey:

At the moment we have several major wind developments, and also other clean energy developments, spinning their wheels slowly in Canberra, waiting for some sort of approval. This process seems never ending, it seems at every corner there is another appeal brought forward by another [inaudible] protest organisation designed to [inaudible]. This needs to stop, [inaudible] at least a time frame [inaudible]. We’ve always said, [inaudible] that should happen quickly. Developers shouldn’t have to wait decades for approvals. Look at the decades of delays that many of these projects have ben waiting for now, it’s absolutely crazy. Again we’re in the middle of an energy crisis, and we can’t get a wind farm up in Tasmania, it’s madness and it needs to change.

Journalist:

I just have one on the Coordinator-General, [inaudible] news about travel expenditure, does the Coordinator-General deliver enough bang for its buck?

Michael Bailey:

My interactions with the Coordinator-General have been very positive indeed, he has worked very hard for Tasmania, I’ll let others judge what will no doubt come out in the process but I’m not aware of those claims.

Journalist:

Do we get enough out of the Coordinator-General for $100,000 a year in international travel?

Michael Bailey:

I certainly believe we do. If you look at the projects that we’ve seen coming to Tasmania, like SunCable for example, those multi-billion dollar projects don’t happen without that sort of role, so my view is we need this role in Tasmania, [inaudible] what that role might mean, but fundamentally we need an easier way for developers to be able to come to our state and get projects moving.

Close

E&OE...

Jo McManus:

And I'm pleased to say that Senator Richard Colbeck, who is the Aged Care Services Minister and Minister for Senior Australians, has been kind enough to join us. Good afternoon, Senator.

Richard Colbeck:

Afternoon, Jo.

Jo McManus:

Why is it not mandatory for people going into aged care homes to be vaccinated against COVID-19 when it is for flu?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, they’re the requirements that are laid down by the public health orders in Western Australia. So you're right, at the moment, as those public orders, health orders stand, in Western Australia, visitors must have an up-to-date influenza vaccination, but COVID-19 vaccination isn't required by the Western Australian Government.

Jo McManus:

Okay, so is it required elsewhere in Australia?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, it does vary around the country, but it's not a mandate for visitors. There are mandates, and have been mandates, for all staff to be vaccinated. In fact, in Western Australia, all staff working in aged care will have to have had a booster shot by 5 February. And progressively, the states are bringing that in. But what also usually occurs in the states with respect to visitors is- because, more broadly, it's not a compulsory vaccination programme, is that there are other factors that are put in place. So all visitors and staff, but visitors in particular, must wear a mask. There's no limitation on the number of visitors in Western Australia. And it may also be that aged care providers themselves have their own mitigation strategies in place. They will certainly have a screening process for all people who come into a facility. And that's done largely under some national guidance. But it may be that, for example, someone who's not vaccinated may also be required to take a rapid antigen test before they come into the facility. And also, under the current public health orders, wear a mask.

Jo McManus:

We've been talking about this for a couple of days, Senator Colbeck, and we received a statement from WA Health yesterday saying: the Federal Government is responsible for aged care sites. The State Government is responsible for the staff. So the State Government has mandated that anybody going into a nursing home for any kind of work purpose, whether they're a cleaner, or a nurse or a delivery driver, must be vaccinated. But it is a Federal Government responsibility for what happens on site. So I'm curious as to why, nationally, there isn't some requirement for aged care visitors to be covered by the vaccination, given the virulence of the virus and their vulnerability.

Richard Colbeck:

So two things. So the requirement for workforce to be vaccinated is an agreement that was made under the advice of AHPPC, agreed at National Cabinet, and then implemented through state public health orders So the situation is that the Australian Government, nationally, regulates and largely funds aged care. But public health and public health response is the responsibility of the states, and that quite often gets confused as a part of the broader conversation. So what's occurred with the workforce is that, by agreement through National Cabinet, the states and territories have put in place public health orders that require staff to be vaccinated. And as I've just indicated a moment ago, that's been extended to a requirement for a- to have a booster dose by 5 February in Western Australia. There are different dates in other states.

Jo McManus:

[Interrupts] I understand- sorry, I don't mean to interrupt, Senator, but I understand that the staff have to be vaccinated, but why not visitors when it's mandated that you have to have a flu vaccine in every state of Australia?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it's not mandated that you have to have flu vaccine in every state of Australia, in fact.

Jo McManus:

[Interrupts] Which ones don't you?

Richard Colbeck:

So Victoria, the ACT, and Tasmania don't have a mandate for a flu vaccine, or they didn't this year. They did the year before. So in 2020, part of the national guidance was that everybody who went into a- and this was accepted by AHPPC and National Cabinet that all people going into an aged care facility would have to have an influenza vaccination. But some states, the ones I've indicated, didn't take that up in 2021.

Jo McManus:

Was that because they were completely locked down pretty much for the whole year? I don't know, but do you think-

Richard Colbeck:

[Interrupts] Well, Tasmania particularly wasn’t, nor was the ACT. They didn't cop it until later in 2021. But those were the decisions that were made by the various states under their public health processes.

Jo McManus:

What do you think? Do you think that visitors going into an aged-care facility should be vaccinated to protect our most vulnerable?

Richard Colbeck:

I think that all people should take up the opportunity to have a vaccination. And nationally, we've seen that occur very broadly. But from the Australian Government's perspective, it is a voluntary program. We're really pleased that in excess of 93, 94 per cent of Australians across the board have already taken that up. But the circumstance that I've indicated to you where you're not vaccinated, there is reasonably requirement for you to take other measures to ensure that you're not carrying the virus into an aged-care facility, which, as you quite rightly point out, is where some of our most vulnerable live. The state has said in their public health orders for Western Australia that you must wear a mask. And most of the providers that I'm aware of, in fact, I would suggest all of them, will have a screening process of some sort to ask you a number of questions, whether you've been in contact with somebody that's had COVID, whether you've travelled in the last 14 days, a range of questions like that, which are part of the national guidance that’s been provided to the sector through AHPPC. And a lot of providers that are operating in the eastern states, and particularly now that there is community spread of the virus, are asking people who are not vaccinated to have a rapid antigen test to give a demonstration of the fact that they're not carrying COVID. I mean, the vaccination doesn't necessarily prevent you from transmitting the virus.

Jo McManus:

[Talks over] Absolutely not. No, that’s absolutely true.

Richard Colbeck:

And so what's happening, and what will happen as we roll out the rapid antigen test supplies to providers is(*) that I think that everybody who goes into an aged-care facility where there is levels of community transmission at the rate that we're seeing at the moment in the eastern states, will be asked to do a rapid antigen test as a part of a screening program.

Jo McManus:

[Interrupts] Which I think would be very welcomed, except at the moment, you can't get rapid antigen tests. So when's that going to be resolved?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I've been talking to providers across the country today. We're looking to receive some significant supplies over this week, which we will then immediately transmitted out to the sector. And will be providing those to all aged care facilities across the country. At the moment, we're utilising the supplies that we have to prioritise those that have an outbreak, so that they can manage their residents and test them regularly to make sure there's no spread within the facilities. And also their staff, so that they can make sure that they can keep as many staff as possible at work through quick testing regularly with rapid antigen test. But we'll be providing those over the coming weeks(*) to providers across the country.

Jo McManus:

Will you be providing those free?

Richard Colbeck:

To aged care providers? Yes.

Jo McManus:

And will they be able to use those for visitors to aged care facilities, if that's the route that they choose to go down, will they be able to use those free rapid antigen tests? If I'm going to go and visit my grandma, will I be able to get a free test when I walk into the aged care home?

Richard Colbeck:

That will be one of the purposes that they can use them for. So they might be doing asymptomatic testing every 72 hours of their staff to make sure that there’s staff who are not bringing- inadvertently bringing the virus in, which is largely what happens. It might be that they are testing residents who go out on excursions, test them in the 24 or 48 hours after the excursion to make sure they haven't picked something up and spread it in the facility. And we'll also be providing some guidance on how they might best use the tests to best protect people within the facility.

Jo McManus:

And so you're saying you're hoping to roll those out soon. When- what does soon mean? And will Western Australia get their share of rapid antigen tests as well?

Richard Colbeck:

Absolutely. So we're looking to receive those supplies this week and then start rolling them out next week.

Jo McManus:

Right, okay. Now, if I- could I just ask you, Senator Colbeck, with your Sports Minister hat on, because that's your other role.

Richard Colbeck:

[Talks over] It is.

Jo McManus:

What do you think should happen with the number one tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, as a sports fan, you’d obviously want to see him playing in the tournament. The actual decision as to what might happen with him, I have to be careful about what I say, because I have a colleague who's in the process of making a decision about what might occur right now. But as a famous anti-vaxxer in- I'm not in agreement with his philosophy in that sense, and his stance is extremely disappointing to me as a sports fan. When you look at some of the things that I've had to manage and deal with such a tragic sense through COVID, particularly in aged care. But if you're looking at- well, we've just been talking about aged care workers, who have to have a vaccination if they can keep their job. That's the contrast that I see on the other side of this equation. You want to see the world's best at the- at one of the most important tournaments globally. But the attitude that's being displayed is extremely disappointing. And I find that really difficult to deal with.

Jo McManus:

Yep. And you wouldn't want to be in Alex Hawke’s shoes today, the Immigration Minister’s shoes today, would you?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, Alex has got a very, very difficult job to make- to- a decision to make. It's an important decision. And again, I'll be careful about what I say, because I need to give him the freedom to be able to make that decision appropriately. But it's a big deal, it's an important decision. And as I said, I find it very, very difficult to deal with the attitude towards vaccination that Djokovic has been displaying, particularly, as I said, when so many people here in this country, for their livelihoods, have been required to be vaccinated. The rules that we stipulated as a Federal Government. were very, very clear: to gain access, you need to be vaccinated. And we're seeing all of the commentary around movement, actions, process playing out over the last few days. It's a very, very difficult situation.

Jo McManus:

It certainly is. And look, Senator, I really appreciate your time on Perth Live this afternoon. If I could just ask you for a yes-no answer, you have no plans to mandate vaccinations for visitors to aged care homes?

Richard Colbeck:

No, it's a national voluntary vaccination programme. But if you're not vaccinated, there are other mitigating measures that can and will be put in place to protect people in residential aged care, and we've been through those: wearing a mask, screening on entry by the providers and also the utilisation of rapid antigen tests to make sure that you're not carrying the virus into the facility.

Jo McManus:

Thank you very much for your time.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Jo.

Jo McManus:

That’s Senator Richard Colbeck, the Aged Care Services Minister, Minister for Senior Australians, and Minister for Sport.

Close

E&OE…

Chris O’Keefe:

Well, this Djokovic thing, we've just heard he's going to try and overturn the decision of Border Force to cancel his visa by going to court. He's listed to go to court in Melbourne at 4 o’clock Melbourne time, which is 3 o’clock in Queensland. And he will try to have it overturned so he can stay in Australia and play at the Australian Open. But honestly, the fact that the Border Force asked him at the border, can you please show us some medical proof or documentation that proves that you are medically exempt from having to be double jabbed, which is the requirement to enter Australia, and he couldn't provide that proof means I think his court appearance will be pretty brief. Will be pretty brief. But on this, I want to talk about how all of this went down, because it's made headlines all around the world, in the UK, the US. And now Serbia's President, the country that Novak Djokovic is from, Serbia's President’s bought in, saying that he's very, very concerned at the treatment of his star citizen. So I'm going to bring in our Federal Sports Minister, Richard Colbeck. He's on the line. Minister, thank you for joining us.

Richard Colbeck:

Afternoon, Chris.

Chris O’Keefe:

You've got to be happy he’s going though, don't you?

Richard Colbeck:

Oh, well, I think it's unfortunate that we don't have the world's best playing at the Australian Open. That's what it's about. It's one of the top five tournaments globally. It is a very important event. It's disappointing that we're in this circumstance, to be frank. But as the PM has quite clearly said on a number of occasions over the last 24 hours, the rules are the rules. They apply to any person coming to Australia, whether they’re a tourist or a tennis player.

Chris O’Keefe:

Well, it applied to you. If you go overseas and come back in, you've got to be double jabbed, right?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, when I went to Japan for the Olympics this year, I was required to provide evidence of vaccination. I was required to provide evidence of two PCR tests within 72 hours of leaving Australia, or negative PCR tests. So the fact that there are border requirements around the world is not an unusual thing. And Australia took action very early in the pandemic, declaring it a pandemic before the WHO, closing our borders before a lot of other countries did, and those actions in particular have been a very important part of our success in managing the virus over the last two years. So the information was very clear, that requirement to be vaccinated to come to Australia as a non-citizen was a requirement. The vaccines that were recognised by Australia are clearly identified. And some players, for example, those that have taken the Sputnik vaccine, that's not recognised in Australia because we haven't been able to get the data to support recognition of that vaccine. I think there's some players that might have had some issues in relation to that. And of course, if you aren't vaccinated with one of the recognised vaccines, you had to provide medical advice, or advice of a medical contraindication that would indicate that you don't need to be vaccinated. They’re the rules.

Chris O’Keefe:

And in his instance, he couldn't.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, he wasn't able to provide evidence of a contraindication, medical contraindication, when he was asked to at the border. And that's part of the requirement of entry.

Chris O’Keefe:

So who's been sold a puppy? Has Tennis Australia pulled a swifty?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I don't think that's the case. There's been a lot of communication backwards and forwards from Tennis Australia, with, I think, the Victorian Government and the Australian Government, to provide advice as to, as I indicated a moment ago, the types of vaccines that we recognise, the circumstances, the ATAGI advice on what we considered as fully vaccinated, all of those things. There was a lot of work that was done there. The issue is that the traveller, as I said, whether you’re a tennis player or a tourist, is required to provide evidence of your qualifications to enter the country at the point of entry. And in this case, that evidence wasn't able to be provided. I think Border Force made some inquiry to Victoria to see whether they could provide some support. And in respect of the exemption, that wasn't forthcoming. And so it's resulted in the circumstances we're dealing with now.

Chris O’Keefe:

But what I can't wrap my head around, and I think what's confusing a lot of people, because the Federal Government doesn't issue visas as such. They’re auto-generated in this instance. So he gets an auto-generated visa, shows up to Melbourne Airport at Tullamarine, and Border Force say: hey, can you- you're not vaccinated. Can you provide proof that you are medically exempt? And he couldn't provide proof. So how could have he provided proof to the panel that Tennis Australia supposedly, you know, this ridgy-didge, amazing, unbelievable panel that Craig Tilley and Tennis Australia reckon was in place that then allowed Tennis Australia to believe that he was medically exempt. So how could he provide enough information to Tennis Australia that said he was medically exempt, but when he shows up at Border Force, he can't provide it?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I'm not privy to any of that. Not involved in the panel processes, obviously, or any of the conversations between Tennis Australia and the Victorian Government. I understand there were two panels: one that Tennis Australia put together, and one that was a verification processed by the Victorian Government. And the only person who can shed any light on that, quite frankly, is Novak Djokovic. He's the only person that can provide that information. And I don’t…

Chris O’Keefe:

[Interrupts] Craig Tiley and Tennis Australia should because, I'm sorry, Mister, but it just feels to me that Tennis Australia were trying to find every loophole possible to get this bloke in the country and get him playing at the Australian Open.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, look, I think the conversations that I've had with Tennis Australia have been extremely genuine. They set up the two medical panels to undertake the assessment process. They're not able to release Novak Djokovic’s medical information. That is for him to release, and there's been a number of calls for people- from people, for him to do that and I think quite reasonably if he wants to come to Australia. He hadn't been prepared to declare whether or not he's been vaccinated until recently. I think that's pretty well understood now that he's not. And if he's not, what is the medical contraindication that says that he doesn't need to be? And so, that becomes the issue…

Chris O’Keefe:

I just don't understand what medical-

Richard Colbeck:

…and he’s the only one that can release his own medical information [indistinct]… his behalf.

Chris O’Keefe:

[Talks over] So is there potential that he’s released medical information to Tennis Australia, but then refused to release that same information to Border Force?

Richard Colbeck:

Well…

Chris O’Keefe:

Because that doesn't seem likely.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I don't know the answer to that question. It doesn't seem likely. But if it is the case, that…

Chris O’Keefe:

[Talks over] Well someone's taking the mickey then.

Richard Colbeck:

…that would be the rationale for not being provided entry into the country.

Chris O’Keefe:

But as the Federal Gover- should the Federal Government, I suppose my question is now, should the Federal Government be asking some serious questions of Tennis Australia if, you know, they’re almost trying to provide a rails run to a bloke who is not vaccinated, provide a rails run to him into Australia when they know that the requirements of people coming into Australia are to be fully vaccinated?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think, at the end of the day, it was- the verification of the exemption was completed by the Victorian Government, which was their role. They had that process that they ran. We asked them, or Border Force asked them for some information to support the exemption. We didn't receive that. That wasn't provided. And because it didn't come from Victoria and it didn't come from Novak Djokovic, as the traveller, the entry to the country was refused and his visa was cancelled.

Chris O’Keefe:

I know Tennis Australia have been- I saw some unnamed sources quoted in a couple of the Nine newspapers in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, where Tennis Australia sources were quoted to say that there are other tennis players and members of staff that have flown into the country who are unvaccinated based on medical exemptions.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I understand that that may be the case, but again, I don't know. And unless those individuals provide- are prepared to release, A, who they are and B, their medical exemption details, we won't know the details of that.

Chris O’Keefe:

So they could be- well, they could potentially be here under false pretences then.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, you would hope not. You would hope that there was a [indistinct]…

Chris O’Keefe:

[Talks over] Border Force could go and check- Border Force could knock on the door at their hotel and say: hey mate, can we have a look at your medical records to prove that you've got a medical exemption, why you need a medical exemption, and your visa is legitimate. And if they can't provide that, does Border Force then have power to deport them too?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I understand that they may have that power. So I'm not sure that if I was those particular players, I'll be advertising too prominently the circumstances of coming in.

Chris O’Keefe:

No Instagram posts. It’s like Novak.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I mean, drawing attention to yourself in that light I don't think helps. And I think the reaction to that has been seen very much by the- through the Australian community over the last 48 hours.

Chris O’Keefe:

Do you understand that anger and outrage?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, absolutely. I understand it very deeply. I mean, I, as also Minister for Aged Care Services and Senior Australians, have a workforce working through the aged care sector who has been mandated to be vaccinated, and unless they can provide a good reason for a medical exemption. And so, you know, the aged care workforce is 99.9 per cent vaccinated because of that. So- and there are a lot of other people in the Australian community in the same situation who, to retain their job, have had to get vaccinated, frontline health workers and frontline workers in ambulances and the police and things of that nature. So they've all been required to hold their employment to get vaccinated. And of course, the difficulties that we've all dealt with during the pandemic, I think, really do raise emotions. And so I think- I very much understand, I very much understand the concerns in the Australian community that somebody needs to follow the rules, that we all need to follow the rules.

Chris O’Keefe:

Well, Minister, I know you yourself have confronted some pretty awful things, especially in the Victorian second wave last year, in our aged care homes. It was just dreadful what we saw. And for someone of the like of Novak Djokovic, in a way, it sort of sullies the memory of a lot of these people and sullies everything that we've tried to do as a country as a result of that heartbreak to protect the rest of us. And, you know, a public anti-vaxxer of his stature, if he's not vaccinated, he should be told to go away, and I'm happy that the Australian Government and Border Force has made that decision. So thank you very much for your time.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Chris. Cheers.

Chris O’Keefe:

That's the Federal Sports Minister, Richard Colbeck.

Close

E&OE…

Hamish Macdonald:

The world’s top men's tennis player, Novak Djokovic, remains in Melbourne Airport this morning as he waits for permission to enter the country and take part in this year's Australian Open. The Serbian star was granted an exemption to play in the tournament, despite speaking out against COVID vaccinations and refusing to confirm if he's had a jab. Victoria’s Acting Sports Minister, Jaala Pulford, says whether he can leave the airport is now in the hands of the Federal Government.

[Excerpt]

Jaala Pulford:

The entry to the country is, in spite of the Federal Government’s best efforts to deny it, undeniably the responsibility for Federal Government.

[End of excerpt]

Hamish Macdonald:

Victoria's Acting Sports Minister speaking there. Richard Colbeck is the Federal Sports Minister and the Minister for Aged Care Services. Good morning to you Senator.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Hamish. Happy New Year.

Hamish Macdonald:

To you too. And I should stress, we invited you on to talk about aged care, and we will get to that, but obviously this story has unfolded overnight, and we do need to put some questions to you. What is going on with Novak Djokovic? Is he going to be allowed into the country?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, without making specific reference to any individual case, I think the Prime Minister and the Minister Andrews made it very clear yesterday. Anyone coming to Australia has to comply with a range of conditions and that's what's being ascertained at the moment. So, Border Force has a role to conduct, and that's what it's doing right now.

Hamish Macdonald:

And it- to be clear though, it is the- it is up to the Commonwealth what happens next, isn't it?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, there's a range of conditions that any individual wanting to come to Australia, any non-Australian citizen arriving at the border, has to comply with. They need to have the documentation to demonstrate that. That's the circumstance for anyone. I think the Prime Minister made that clear yesterday, as did Minister Andrews. So the Prime Minister said no special treatment. That's the perspective that we're applying here, as we should, and that's the circumstances that’s been- that's playing out now.

Hamish Macdonald:

How did it get to this though? It's all a bit of a spectacle, isn't it?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, as I said, and as the Prime Minister said last night, Minister Andrews said yesterday, anyone coming to Australia has to have the documentation to demonstrate their- that they can meet the eligibility criteria to come into Australia.

Hamish Macdonald:

The Victorian Government says it rejected a last-minute request from Border Force to approve his visa. Is that correct?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we didn't ask information from the Victorian Government to support a visa. That's not their role. We asked…

Hamish Macdonald:

[Interrupts] What did you ask Victoria for?

Richard Colbeck:

[Talks over] We asked Victoria - Border Force, as I understand, asked them for information in relation to the exemption. So I think it's a bit of a red herring that's being thrown up by Victoria. We didn't ask for information to support a visa.

Hamish Macdonald:

Just not clear what Border Force would have been going to the Victorian Government about then?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it's exactly as I just said a moment ago. They asked for information in relation to the exemption that they've granted.

Hamish Macdonald:

So there's some doubt about the veracity of the information that was provided?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I'm not dealing with this case. This is a matter for Border Force, quite appropriately. But effectively, from my understanding, is that Minister Pulford answered a different question to the question that was asked by Border Force. We didn't ask for information to support a visa. That's not a matter for Victoria, as she quite rightly said.

Hamish Macdonald:

Do you expect Novak Djokovic will be playing at the Australian Open?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I can't answer that question. There's a process underway at the moment that will play out.

Hamish Macdonald:

Do you expect he’ll be let into the country?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, as I've said, any individual coming into Australia needs to satisfy the eligibility requirements. That applies to everybody, no special deals. As the Prime Minister said yesterday, we will apply the entry requirements to anyone crossing the border. Anyone who wants to come into the country has to comply with those requirements.

Hamish Macdonald:

Obviously, the Australian Open is a pretty big deal. It's one of our proudest, most internationally recognised sporting events. Do you think this situation does us a bit of damage reputationally?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think the importance that we place on our border requirements is paramount in that sense. This is, as you say, quite rightly, is a very significant international sporting event, but by the same token, as I've indicated this morning, we- as has the Minister Andrews and the Prime Minister, we have rules for entry into the country, and anybody, whether they're a tourist or a tennis player, need to comply with those.

Hamish Macdonald:

All right. Let's turn to aged-care, also an area that you're responsible for. There was a National Cabinet meeting yesterday. We heard from Mike Baird, the CEO of Hammond Care, on this program ahead of that meeting. This is what he had to say.

[Excerpt]

Mike Baird:

We've got a huge number on leave. We've got a huge number who aren't available. And that perfect storm of Christmas and the virus is putting unprecedented pressure on it.

[End of excerpt]

Hamish Macdonald:

He also pleaded, effectively, with the Federal Government for access to more PPE and to more testing. Why are we in this situation where aged care doesn't have what it needs to ride this out?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, in the context of PPE, I don't accept that we don't. There's plenty of PPE available for facilities that have an issue with an outbreak. There are processes in place to distribute that to providers. Very well practise based on the experience of the last couple of years. So plenty of PPE. We…

Hamish Macdonald:

[Interrupts] So you dispute what Mike Baird says on that?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, there is no shortage of the availability of PPE. There is plenty in the national stockpile. And so I'm very comfortable that there's not a shortage of PPE, there's plenty available. We've distributed so far to providers around the country in excess of 3 million rapid antigen tests, and we’ll continue to ramp that up. We’ve clearly focused on areas where there's been high levels of community transmission, particularly Victoria and New South Wales, as the numbers have grown around- in community transmission there. And we’ll continue to do that. All providers nationally will be provided with rapid antigen tests, and we've provided some guidance to them on how they should utilise those in support of screening their staff and regular visitors and residents where appropriate. So that process will continue to roll out as we get more supplies into the country. And there's been plenty of commentary with respect to the supply of rapid antigen tests over recent times. And there's significant supplies that will be coming into the country, and they will be rolled out and supplied to aged care providers. And I acknowledge that the comments that Mike's made in relation to workforce. The workforce is very tight at the moment. As he said, the holiday season hasn't helped. But we continue to work closely with the sector in relation to that. And there's been some interim advice provided out to the sector in relation to the requirements around furloughing, which are also supported by states and territories with their public health advice to ensure that people who don't need to be furloughed aren't furloughed, so that we can make sure that we've got as many people remaining at work as possible.

Hamish Macdonald:

The booster vaccine program that was being rolled out in aged care homes across the country, did that continue over the Christmas period, or was it- did they take a break?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, providers themselves may have conducted their own clinics, as quite a few of them have. The in-reach providers may have taken some time off over Christmas, but that program has continued. And I know that a lot of providers themselves have supported their own in-reach service for their residents. We're probably- we’re a bit ahead of where we thought we'd be when we started the program in early November, in excess of 1500 of the facilities have received their in-reach clinic so far, and we're looking to complete that process by the end of January.

Hamish Macdonald:

Australia had a roadmap for reopening. Why did it not include anything to do with rapid antigen testing, given that so many of the leading voices and advisers on this had said all along we were going to need a lot of them?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we've been utilising rapid antigen tests in aged care for a considerable period of time. We started conversations in relation to that back in July ...

Hamish Macdonald:

But this is a question about the nation. Clearly, we don't have enough of them. We’re, you know, making decisions on the fly about access to them and the funding of them. Why didn't we plan for this?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, again, we've been hit with another twist in the way that the pandemic is playing out, which is the Omicron variant. None of us saw that coming with- none of us could have been expected to see that coming ...

Hamish Macdonald:

[Interrupts] No, none of us could have expected another variant.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, not- well, we did- we wouldn't necessarily have understood how the variant would play out. None of us know what the next variant will look like or how it will play out. And we're adapting to the pandemic appropriately, in my view, as we have done all the way through.

Hamish Macdonald:

But every relevant Minister at state and territory and federal level in the lead-up to reopening, were saying that we're going to get a lot more cases, that it's going to be bumpy. This all could have been foreseen. Why didn't we have more rapid antigen test in place? Why didn't we have supply flowing through? Why didn't we have a clear policy about how they’re going to be made available?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it's very easy to say things should be foreseen in hindsight. And so let's put it in that context. We've been working our way through the management of the pandemic and appropriately managing it based on the health advice all the way through. We continue to do that. It’s...

Hamish Macdonald:

[Interrupts] I'm just not sure it's hindsight. I mean, way back in October the previous year, where the Jane Halton review of hotel quarantine said that we're going to need individuals to test themselves using rapid tests. I think people like Mary-Louise McLaws and Nancy Baxter, these leading epidemiologists, have been saying for months, Australia needs to use rapid antigen tests.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that's correct, and the Commonwealth has played its role in pro- in building stocks and supporting residential aged care facilities, for example, and those areas where we have responsibilities. And likewise, the states are building their stocks to support testing at a community level, which is their responsibility and we're supporting them in doing that.

Hamish Macdonald:

Senator Richard Colbeck, thank you very much for your time this morning.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much, Hamish.

Hamish Macdonald:

That's the Federal Minister for Sport and also the Minister for Aged Care Services.

Close

E&OE...

Karl Stefanovic:

Look, the Minister for Aged-Care Services Richard Colbeck is there right now, I hope he's able to hear Graeme- what Graeme is saying. First of all, Graeme is there anything you would like to say to the Minister?

Graeme Smith:

Senator, give us some answers. Don't leave us forgotten and kept in the dark. Give us a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel. Show us there's something we can hope for. We can't- even if we are released today, we will probably be still confined to the facility. We won't be allowed out in the fresh air. Give us something to hope for.

Karl Stefanovic:

Minister?

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks Graeme. Look, can I say there is some work and some answers on the way for you and for everyone that's in residential aged-care. That's why National Cabinet made a decision a couple of weeks ago to ask each state to review its procedures with respect to quarantining and visitation into residential aged-care. As- when we talk about the community opening up we mean about opening it up for everybody, not just for people living in their own homes. People in residential aged-care have that right as well, just as Graeme has very emotionally and quite rightly indicated. So, the aged-care advice, regroup of AHPPC is preparing some work for me right now. That will go to AHPPC and National Cabinet. The Code of Conduct for Visitation in Aged-Care is currently being reviewed by the industry and the consumer peaks. We want to be able to reunite families with their loved ones in residential aged-care as soon as possible. They deserve to have the benefits of opening up as much as the rest of the community do, Karl and Graeme.

So there is information coming and your story, Graeme, indicates to us all how important that is. It was mentioned to us by the royal commission, the impact on residents and the workforce, I must say. And it's good that you have mentioned, Graeme, the impact on the workforce in residential aged-care because they're doing it tough as well. We need to get things back to as close as normal as possible. There still will be reactions to outbreaks within facilities. There needs to be. We have to have good infection control procedures. We don't want to go back to the situation that we had last year where three-quarters of the deaths we had here in Australia were in aged-care. The situation this year is so much better. A small- much smaller proportion of the cases that we've had this year are in aged-care. It's gone down to about 12 per cent from a really high number. And so the work that the sector has done, I have to say, in that sense has been really good. That's been reported back to me through the agencies that are working with aged-care in the circumstance of lockdown. So, the work in protecting people in aged-care is so much better.

Sylvia Jeffreys:

Minister, quickly, you say that Graeme has every right to be emotional and to be upset about the current situation. It is not just Glendale that is experiencing this problem over and over, going into lockdown after lockdown after lockdown. With respect, Graeme wants to know when these changes will come into effect. I know reviews are in place but when will the change happen?

Graeme Smith:

How about less talk and a bit of action?

Richard Colbeck:

[Talks over] Well, I'm hoping that- well, I'm hoping to…

Graeme Smith:

[Talks over] There’s been too much talk.

Richard Colbeck:

… Well, I’m hoping to advice on that in the next week or so.

Graeme Smith:

[Talks over] Sorry.

Richard Colbeck:

So, I'm hoping to have that advice in the next week or so. It's really important that we get that and we're working closely with the states with respect to their procedures around the length of a lockdown which, unfortunately, has been experienced by Graeme with the four cases that have come in contact with the facility. I mean, that's extremely difficult. I can understand very much how upset and disappointed and angry Graeme would be.

Karl Stefanovic:

Look, you know, here is the reality- and look, you work very hard, Minister. But when the public and when you have Graeme sitting there in one of these facilities, the royal commission- I think it was, what, March, and here we are in October and we're still waiting for these things.

Graeme Smith:

Exactly.

Karl Stefanovic:

Anyway, look, we will leave it there for the moment, but I know, Minister-

Richard Colbeck:

The difference Karl is getting through the vaccination process, and I appreciate that Graeme's in the circumstance of having been vaccinated for seven months now. We will probably be coming back to see him again in the next week or so. We're expecting advice in the next couple of days around booster shots to make sure there is the highest possible level of protection for people like Graeme in aged-care facilities. I don't want to go back to last year where three-quarters of the deaths that we suffered in the country were people in residential aged-care. So, we need to have good infection control practice s in place to protect them, but we also need to make sure they can enjoy the freedoms the rest of us enjoy too. Both of those things are important.

Karl Stefanovic:

Alright. Good to talk to you. Get out there and get it done quickly. People like Graeme are sitting there and going through the most horrible thing.

Close

E&OE…                     

Topics: Brisbane 2032, OCOG, Gabba redevelopment and funding agreements.

Neil Breen:      There's more than a decade to go to the 2032 Olympics, but we've already seen bluing between the state and federal governments. And there was all sorts of shenanigans over the 22 person committee. You don't need to trawl through the history of it, but the federal Minister for Sport, Richard Colbeck, he wrote a piece for The Courier Mail, and he clarified a lot of things that have been said publicly. He said the Prime Minister and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, they'll pick four directors on the organising board. The IOC, the AOC, Paralympics Australia, and local government will get to pick one representative each. That's on top of, like the local government will already have the Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner. Then there'll be five independent directors, including a First Nations Australian, who will be chosen jointly by the Prime Minister and the Premier. The Minister’s on the line. Minister Colbeck, how are you?

Richard Colbeck:        I’m well, thanks, Neil.

Neil Breen:      Look I- look this- having lived through the Sydney experience, like we all did, the last thing Brisbane wants is 10 years of brawling. And I get the feeling, early on we had a brawl between the Lord Mayor and the Treasurer over the venue of an international broadcast centre, like anyone in Brisbane cared. And then there's been a brawl over a 22-person committee, which, if you ask me, is about 10 or 12 too many. Because there’ll lot, too many fingers in the pie, like, it to start with. Is this going to be a cohesive arrangement leading up to the Olympics in 2032? That's the question.

Richard Colbeck:        Well, that was the point of me writing the article that was published yesterday, was to set out, quite clearly, as you've indicated a moment ago, who's doing what. The impression that was cast by some announcements last week didn't leave what I saw as the impression of the discussions we’d been having with the Queensland Government and with the other Olympic partners. So I believed that it was important to put on the record what was being proposed, so that everybody could understand that what we're looking to put in place is a committee that does endure that 11 years between now and 2032. This is a really important event for Australia. It's a very exciting event for Australia, obviously. We’ll become one of a few countries to have ever hosted the Olympics three times and so very exciting. A lot for us to gain. We need a good and strong committee that’ll endure that 11 years and put on a cracker event in 2032.

Neil Breen:      Yeah, exactly right. That's exactly what we need. One of the things that troubles me leading up to the Olympic Games is the spend. Because I've been through the 92-page document that our bid committee sent to the IOC and accepted, and it's basically a cost of 5 billion, give or take. And one of the line items is, infrastructure, 690 million for new and existing infrastructure. But already, there's talk of a billion-dollar rebuild of the Gabba. The maths don't add up for mine, Richard Colbeck.

Richard Colbeck:        Well, that's, again, one of the things that I wanted to clarify in the article that I wrote yesterday. So the Premier asked the Prime Minister to go 50/50 in the cost of the infrastructure. The Prime Minister agreed to that. But it wasn't, we're just going to hand over 50 per cent of the cost. So we said, if we're going to be 50 per cent partners, we’ll be genuine 50 per cent partners in this entire process. That goes to the arrangements that we agree to form the organising committee, but there's also going to be an intergovernmental agreement between the states and the Commonwealth in respect of a range of these things. Plus, we’ll also establish a delivery agency for the infrastructure, and that will be managed by my colleague, Paul Fletcher and his counterpart in Queensland, Steven Miles. And that will provide us with a genuine partnership in the overall process of delivery of that infrastructure, including some of the strategic decision-making that’ll be undertaken as well. So, we're determined to establish a very, very strong, sound and solid arrangement between the Commonwealth and the state, so that as [ indistinct]…

Neil Breen: [Interrupts] But the state’s already had a press conference saying they're going to spend and a billion dollars at the Gabba. So is the government, is the Federal Government going to tip in half a billion of the billion for the Gabba?

Richard Colbeck:        That was the announcement that prompted the Prime Minister to say, these will be the arrangements in the context of the 50/50 partnership. So that's what we're negotiating now. We're working, our officials are working together to agree the terms of all of those things. I've been working on that. I've been working closely with, Ted O'Brien, my colleague from Queensland who's the Prime Minister's envoy, looking after things in Queensland. And so we're continuing to work very closely together on making sure that all of the frameworks are in place for the appropriate delivery, making sure that the spend is A) appropriate, but also it's cost efficient in the context of [indistinct]…

Neil Breen:      [Interrupts] But the spend we got told would be 5 billion. So the public was taken along for the ride on five billion all up. Are you confident it'll be five billion all up? Because I reckon it'll be 15.

Richard Colbeck:        Well, that's not the figure that I have. It'll probably be a bit more than five, given the infrastructure for transport and the infrastructure for the Games. But a lot of the infrastructure for transport-

Neil Breen:      [Interrupts] So the 70- so the document that was sent to the IOC that they signed off on in July of five billion, the 92-page document, we've already blown past five billion. I'm not blaming you for that, by the way, because the Premier had a press conference for a billion-dollar Gabba, like the- we're not- the public's not stupid.

Richard Colbeck:        No, well- Can I say that the Gabba announcement was a bit of a surprise to a lot of us, but that's what's promoted the process that we've put in place now, the agreement between the Prime Minister and the Premier with respect to 50/50 founding of the Game’s infrastructure. A lot of the spending little be done for the Games and particularly, in the context of transport infrastructure, will be infrastructure that will be built in anyway, in the interests of the community and [indistinct]…

Neil Breen:  [Interrupts] That’s right. [Indistinct]…

Richard Colbeck:  … Queensland. So all of those things are going to be important. But the frameworks around delivery of that is being negotiated at the moment, so that we A) get- we deliver what we- show to the IOC that we're going to deliver it, but we also need to do it in a cost effective way. You're quite right to be concerned that that's what happens.

Neil Breen: Okay. Richard Colbeck, the federal Minister for Sport. It was a good piece he wrote, clarifying everything. Thanks for coming on the show.

Richard Colbeck: Cheers, Neil.

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Never before has an Olympic and Paralympic future host benefited from a decade-long run-up to what we hope will be an era-defining event.

The Brisbane 2032 Games present us with an opportunity to showcase not just our credentials in major international events – but our ability to work together.

We already understand the power of the Games to strengthen the fabric of the nation.

We witnessed it in Sydney - and 21 years later we are still talking about it.

Comprehensive and cohesive planning will ensure these are a Games that cement a stronger future.

As previously outlined by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in the coming years investment in infrastructure will continue to ensure transport and venues are not just fit for the purpose of the Games but support future growth in the region and remain shining examples of Australia’s success in staging some of the most important global events.

In April, the PM flagged our commitment to make this a 50-50 partnership with Queensland.

Charting this important pathway requires a strong partnership between Commonwealth, State and local governments, the Australian Olympic

Committee and Paralympics Australia through the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG).

Ted O’Brien, the Prime Minister’s special envoy for the 2032 Games, and I are focused on ensuring we maximise the benefits to Queensland and Australia.

Ted has already played a critical role in setting the crucial foundations for 2032 as well as closely consulting his local community on the Sunshine Coast.

We have proposed a strong and sound structure for membership of OCOG through our negotiations with the Queensland Government and other 2032 stakeholders.

Former Olympic swimmer Bronte Barratt is a fitting first appointment to the committee, nominated by her peers to represent athletes on the Board.

Prime Minister Morrison and Premier Palaszczuk will each nominate four directors for the Board of the Games organising committee on behalf of the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments as the major funding and delivery partners.

In addition, there will be director representatives appointed by the IOC, AOC, Paralympics Australia and local government. All these partners have a critical role to play.

A further five independent directors, including the OCOG President, will be jointly appointed by the Prime Minister and the Premier following a joint process between the Commonwealth and Queensland that is informed by a leading global search firm and consultation with the AOC, PA and local governments. 

There will also be a First Nations representative from amongst these five independent appointments.

Establishing the footings for the Games infrastructure investment is also well underway.

My colleague Paul Fletcher, the Federal Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities, and I are already working towards an inter-governmental agreement with the Queensland Government.

Our partnership will ensure the multi-billion dollar infrastructure spend is undertaken in a way which grows jobs, establishes quality venues for sport and maximises long term benefits for the Queensland community.

Let’s be clear, our 50-50 partnership with the Queensland Government on the 2032 Games infrastructure is unprecedented and the agreements being established are designed to be delivered in genuine partnership.

It starts with sound structuring of the OCOG, making sure the legislation is right and then sourcing the best experts regardless of politics or agenda.

As AOC chief John Coates clearly outlined during his speech to the National Press Club this week, the unity that won Queensland hosting rights for the 2032 Olympics remains strong among the stakeholders.

Of course, there may be differences of opinion.

But with 11 years to go, we have an opportunity to shine as collaborative partners.

It is time to get on with the job.

Our ability to work together will be our strength as we deliver what could be the greatest sporting event the world has ever seen.

We share a dream and sing with one voice, so the unofficial Australian anthem goes.

Our challenge now, is to prove it.

This opinion piece was originally published in the Brisbane's Courier Mail, 18 October 2021. 

 

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E&OE...

Steve Price:

Registered nurses are now going to be offered cash incentives to continue working in the aged care sector. That’s good news. Apparently the Federal Government will on Monday unveil a new package. The Minister responsible for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services is Richard Colbeck. He’s been kind enough to join us online. Good to talk to you again.

Richard Colbeck:

[Indistinct], Steve.

Steve Price:

You need to be very careful, I guess, maintaining levels of staff in aged care because it doesn’t take much for an aged care facility to be put at risk if they haven’t got enough workers, right?

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah, look, it’s been really important. It was one of the things that was highlighted to us by the royal commission. In fact, we’ll move to mandated minutes of care as we work our way through the reform package that we’ve announced in the budget. This is part of that, encouraging nurses to stay working in residential aged care facilities. The entire health system is tight at the moment. There’s demands for those sorts of skills in all sorts- in- across the health system, and so providing some support and incentive for nurses to remain working in aged care where their clinical leadership is really important, is one of the things that we were really concerned about as part of our- development of our reform package.

Steve Price:

I notice that this package is, according to a report in The Herald Sun today, for full time registered nurses. They’ll be eligible for a payment of $3700 a year each if they stay with the same aged care provider; does that mean at the same facility or the same provider? Because as you know better than anyone, Richard, last year in Victoria when COVID got into aged care, part of the problem was people working in a variety of aged care homes and taking it from one to the other.

Richard Colbeck:

Yes, and in circumstances where there's outbreaks we have- and put in place, with the cooperation of the sector I might add, one worker one site provisions. are important to prevent and to mitigate the spread of virus across facilities. And so it is with one provider. So it may be that they can move around as a part of their clinical progression through the sector, but it's trying to maintain the number of nurses who are within the sector. That's important. And as I said, the entire health system and therefore the market for nurses is quite tight at the moment so this is an important measure.

Steve Price:

Is it harder for operators in the regions? We're on air, obviously through regional Australia, right through Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria. Is it harder for regional operators to retain staff?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it can be difficult for services in regional area to attract staff out to the regions. I think we see that across the health system, and part of the measure that we've introduced is an additional amount of up to 2300 to work in a rural area. We've seen circumstances in all of the areas that you've mentioned, where it's been very difficult for providers to attract staff out to those areas. We're working with states to see how we might combine services in support of the provision of service so that it's more efficient and possible for both. But it is an issue. And of course, as I said, with the market being so tight for a whole range of other things, including the work that we're doing in vaccination, it is drawing staff from across the health sector to ensure that all of these things get done. But retaining people in aged care is very important.

Steve Price:

These packages are for registered nurses. Just on the general situation with aged care workers, it's been, pre-COVID, a very casualised workforce. Many of the workers in aged care were migrants or visitors to Australia from overseas doing casual work. That obviously has also created, I would imagine, staff shortages for many of these operators.

Richard Colbeck:

It has made it very tight. We've introduced a couple of measures during COVID, the COVID time itself to mitigate that. For example, where students have been here in Australia and have been limited in the number of hours that they can work, we've extended that so that they can spend- they can do more time working in residential aged care. We've- we're looking at other measures through some of the Pacific labour schemes to bring in people to assist where it might mitigate there. And we're looking at other areas as well, where we might provide support and we've invested significantly in- in education and training to bring people into the aged care sector, whether that be in home care or residential aged care. So, there are a couple of very significant measures in the budget that support that.

Steve Price:

We're six days away for visitors to be able to get back into aged care. We're running a feedback poll today about what you're looking forward to. Once restrictions get dropped, many people would be looking forward to be able to visit relatives who are in aged care, have not been able to get visitors. I think that's been one of the- the toughest things for people through the last 18 months. I note National Cabinet last Friday did endorse a plan to open up to visitors. How quickly can that happen and what restrictions will they still have placed upon them? Is it only vaccination?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, there will be some screening that's- that's part of the entry into residential aged care facilities. If a facility has an outbreak, for example, visitors will obviously be restricted. Although there are, and I have to give credit to the sector here, they've been quite proactive in supporting family members coming in, even in a circumstance where there has been an outbreak for end-of-life visits and things of that nature. Contact is really important. And I think as much as we're looking forward to going and visiting our families, I'm sure our family members are looking forward to us coming back in as well.

So, there will be screening that's involved in New South Wales. There's some specific provisions and they may vary state to state. So New South Wales is talking two fully vaccinated visitors at one time for each resident across the state from the 11th of October. The AHPPC advice asks for all states to reconsider their visit requirements, and a lot of the states have requirements through public health orders to manage visitation to residential aged care.

I'm really pleased that that passed through- a- through National Cabinet. We asked the Aged Care Advisory Group of AHPPC to start looking at this a couple of weeks ago because in my view, as we open the community back up, aged care residents are part of that community and they should take advantage of that as well.

Steve Price:

As Minister, would you like the states that have not had the COVID outbreaks that New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT have had to introduce checks on visitors for vaccination status? And I'm talking about places like South Australia, WA, even Queensland, Northern Territory and Tassie, should the not- the sector, nationally, be checking people's vaccination status before visitation?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, look, that's part of the process, but there will be some circumstances, although be it quite rare, where people can't be vaccinated for certain reasons, for medical reasons in particular. And so, what we also need to have in place is appropriate screening procedures, but also infection control procedures that remain in place. Those things will still be important because there will be virus in the community and so appropriate screening at entry, which I know all states already have. And they have measures that they stand up at various times in support of visitation, but- but also screening and infection control procedures, masks, washing your hands, those sorts of things will remain important not only in residential aged care, but they're going to be extremely important in the community.

Steve Price:

Good to catch up. Thanks for your time.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much.

Steve Price:

Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Richard Colbeck.

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As one of only three Tasmanians to compete as part of Team Australia, the 25-year-old has never let cerebral palsy hold him back. When he started running almost a decade ago, Deon did laps of a paddock out the back of Forth.

On the coldest nights you'd find him pacing himself against his Dad, following closely behind in the family car.

It was then he says he committed to one thing: No matter how tough the training - he would become an elite athlete.

In 2017, he blitzed the field to take gold in the 1500m T38 at the World Para-athletics Championships in London. He was crowned world champion.

It remains a career highlight for the young man who very well could have shut that paddock gate and walked away.

The Morrison Government is proud to support Deon and other athletes like him as they set out to reach their Paralympic dreams. More than 85 per cent of athletes competing in Tokyo have received direct grants through the Australian Institute of Sport. In this year's budget we announced an additional $245.8 million for sport over and above our regular sports funding commitments, which includes an extra $136.3 million to support Australia's high performance sport system and programs.

Deon and Tasmanians Alexandra Viney (rowing) and Todd Hodgetts (athletics) head to Tokyo as part of a 179-strong team competing across 18 sports.

Of course they each set out to stand on a podium, a gold, silver or bronze the ultimate goal.

But they should each know, regardless of the outcome, their efforts inspire us and make us proud.

In what has been an extraordinarily tough time for all Tasmanians, the individual journeys of our para-athletes reinforce a collective understanding that even through the most difficult times there is hope for a brighter future.

- Richard Colbeck is a Senator for Tasmania and the federal minister for sport

This article was originally published in The Advocate Newspaper, 30 August, 2021. 

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E&OE...

Gerard Whateley:

Yesterday we debated the merits of Australia and Afghanistan meeting in a test match in late November in Hobart. Cricket Australia told us it was waiting to learn more both internationally and locally. And we did learn more as yesterday went on. The Taliban confirmed a ban on women playing sports under the regime now in Afghanistan, and Australia’s government provided some clarity last night. So I’m indebted to the Federal Sports Minister, Senator Richard Colbeck, for his time this morning. Minister, welcome back to the program.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning Gerard.

Gerard Whateley:

Does Australia condemn the Taliban ban on women playing sport on Afghanistan?

Richard Colbeck:

We’ve made a very clear statement as you’ve indicated overnight, we don’t support excluding women from sport at any level. Simply unacceptable. So we’re really concerned about the reports that came out last night. We’ve been in very productive conversations with Cricket Australia. Our perspective, I know, has been passed through to the ICC. And of course, we’ve also urged the ICC and other global sporting authorities to take a stand against this if in fact this is the case. So, we’ll be using our channels to confirm what’s been reported in the media yesterday. But it’s just not acceptable that women are excluded from sport.

Gerard Whateley:

Is that stance, Minister, that the ICC should revoke Afghanistan status as a member nation?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, my understanding of their rules is that to be a member, they must have a women's program, a full women's program. And so if they don't, I don't see how they can continue to be a part of the ICC process. Now, this is tragic for all those great cricketers coming out of Afghanistan. And we've celebrated them as part of Big Bash and other forms as well. And I think it's only recently that their women's team gained test status, but not had the opportunity to play a game. It's deeply concerning that the Taliban have taken this approach.

 

Gerard Whateley:

So what advice have you given Cricket Australia around the Hobart test in late November?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, effectively, we've been talking through the issues. I think we're pretty much on the same page in respect of our view that excluding women from sport at any level is unacceptable. Cricket Australia has got a fantastic record of developing the game. We've got the Indian women's team here at the moment in isolation, ready to start some- a series very soon. We were extremely proud to host the T20 Women's World Cup here last year. Very lucky to get the final in at the MCG, just before sport was more broadly impacted by COVID. So, we're on the same page in respect of that. I don’t expect to be in a different situation from their point of view as this goes forward. I understand they're discussing the issue, or have been, overnight and this morning, and they'll be making a statement during the day. And I don't expect that they’ll be a sliver between us.

Gerard Whateley:

Is it difficult to see Australia playing Afghanistan in that test match?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it's not just about the test match, Gerard. I mean, we have a- the World Cup coming up, the T20 World Cup. Afghanistan have qualified for that T20 World Cup next month. So the ICC really does need to take a close look at this and quickly. They haven't necessarily been fast in their actions in the past. We also have a triangular against Afghanistan and the West Indies, hosted in the UAE by Afghanistan, prior to the T20 World Cup. So it's not just about that- about the test match? Obviously, that's what we're focusing on because it's here at home. But all of these things are sanctioned by the ICC. They are the governing body for all of these events, the- particularly the T20 World Cup that's coming up. And they need to clarify exactly what it is that the Taliban have been reported as saying, and then they need to take the appropriate action. If their rules say that you need to have a full women's program to be a participant, be a member, then they need to be following their rules. And as tragic as that is for the Afghani athletes, we've also said that we will welcome any individual sportswomen and men of Afghanistan here in the country, but not under the Taliban flag.

Gerard Whateley:

So how does that look, Minister? So in an Olympic forum, there's been a refugee Olympic team, for instance. How can you offer a way to play sport for Afghani athletes who would be denied that by their government?

Richard Colbeck:

I think that's a really good question. We’re sort of just learning about where the Taliban look like they're going. We were all watching with great anticipation some of their early comments about what they said that they were going to do in the lead-up to recent events. We're now finding out what they're actually going to do. And that's going to shape these sorts of things. And you know, the five athletes who participated, for example, in the Big Bash last year, we all celebrated. Loved watching them play and loved having them here. We'd like to be able to see that continue. And so we need to work with, I think, the international sporting authorities and our own NSOs here at home in Australia to see how we can make that work. We know, for example, that some athletes have found a way to leave the country and are seeking refuge in other places. So we may see them playing sport under a different flag, for example. So, I think it's a bit early to have all of this nailed down at this point in time. But you know, there are a lot of people involved here. There's some very, very good people in the administration of cricket in Afghanistan. To think that it's only a decade, really, over the last decade, they've started to come in to international cricket, to see where they are, to have someone like Rashid Khan who's ranked at number three in the world in T20 bowling, is an extraordinary demonstration of what they've been able to achieve. And we want to be able to support the athletes. But our issue is the stance of the Taliban.

Gerard Whateley:

So you couldn't have a national Afghanistan team playing under that flag, against an Australian team in the short term? Would that be a fair interpretation?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I think you'd find it extremely difficult, because they don't have all of the elements that we value. When you’re prohibiting women from playing sport, I don't see how you can make that occur. It's an extremely difficult, complex circumstance, and it's something that I think we're all going to have to work our way through. And we'll obviously be having conversations with other jurisdictions about this. We all love and want to promote sport and support athletes. And you know, you saw some of the reports that came out during the time of people leaving Afghanistan prior to the end of the evacuation that was being conducted. I think there's a fair bit to play out yet.

Gerard Whateley:

Yeah, deeply troubling So, Minister, what's- what are the differences? What makes this different to other regime's that we would regard as oppressive, that sporting contests have continued with?

Richard Colbeck:

Well look, I think it's- we're still learning that. And I've given some thought to that over the last 24 hour or so, as this has started to pull together. And there are some quite oppressive regimes around the world. And we're going to have to work our way through this situation and the circumstances that we find ourselves in. But a lot of this is still very, very raw for a lot of people. I was talking to the Tasmanian Premier last night, who’s been in direct conversations with the local Afghani community, and they just extremely are concerned about the prospect of the game, for example, because everything that they've been through so recently. I was talking to some of my parliamentary colleagues, including some who have served in Afghanistan. They are extremely concerned about this.

So it's all very fresh for a lot of people. And so we need to deal with all of those issues, but also work our way through the broader international and diplomatic things. It's not going to be a simple exercise. This is a very, very complex nation, circumstance, and so there's a lot to play out at this point in time. But based on the reports that we've received overnight with respect to permitting women to play sport, we thought that we needed to be unequivocal as to our acceptance of that stance. That's why we've said the things that we've said. But we need to continue to work with all of the, particularly the international sporting authorities and bodies, to work our way through this and it's going to take some time, I think. But initially, we can't accept the stance that you can exclude women from sport at any level. It’s just unacceptable.

Gerard Whateley:

So, Minister, we were pondering yesterday, there's politics and there's diplomacy, and then there's the more moral stance. Does your statement and your conversations with Cricket Australia essentially represent the moral stance?

Richard Colbeck:

Well look, a lot of these things work together. You can't necessarily separate them all out. They all impinge on each other at certain points. But we simply don't accept the exclusion of women from sport. That- it is simply unacceptable, that's our perspective. So that's the point where we are at right now. We're in very close contact with Cricket Australia, on a pretty regular basis over the last 24 hours. We'll continue that. We know that our perspective as a government has been passed through to the ICC. We asked for that to occur. And we’ll be talking to some of our international colleagues, other jurisdictions, my counterparts in other countries, because we need to work on all this together. It's an extremely complex and difficult circumstance and for a lot of people, it's all very fresh. And so we need to manage all of those things together, and it's not simple. There's, you know, there's- there might be request for a simple, definitive answer on some of these things. But unfortunately, in some- for some elements of it, there aren’t.

Gerard Whateley:

Minister, just as we finish, the prospect of Ashes crowds, in the conversation of yesterday, could use see a vaccine passport been required for cricket fans to be able to go and attend the Ashes this summer?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that may be the case, that may be something that the states decide that they will have as a condition of allowing crowds to occur, under their public health response. It may be something that the sports themselves decide that they need to have. So the work that's being done at the moment is to support those things, should they be decided. But it certainly is something that I can see, particularly some of the state's looking at, I think that we're going to get very, very high rates of vaccination; if you look at the first dose numbers across the country, they're very high. Over-70s close to 90 per cent. Over-50s, well into the 80s. So I think that we're going to get very high do- vaccination rates anyway, which is great, because that will protect us all. And we all want to see sport returning to something like normal, as we want to see the rest of our lives returning to something like normal. And it's been a very difficult couple of years for the major codes. And for them to get to where they’ve got to, with respect to being at this stage of the season and on the verge of the big day of the year, it has been quite a feat. And I commend them for their efforts in doing that.

Gerard Whateley:

Minister, thank you for your time.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Gerard.

Gerard Whateley:

Federal Sports Minister, Senator Richard Colbeck. I think, reading between the lines, Australia won't play Afghanistan in formal sport, while the attitude of the Taliban is that the women's programme is banned.

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E&OE...

Oliver Peterson:

But you heard from Alan Joyce there the mental health tolls. It's a good segue into my next guest, who is the Federal Minister for Sport, Richard Colbeck, who's here in Perth, and I'll ask him about this first. Minister, welcome to the program. Is that what the Federal Government is working on at the moment, bypassing hotel quarantine? It'll be home quarantine for anybody, anywhere in the world, for just seven days for those states willing to accept international arrivals. Good afternoon.

Richard Colbeck:

Afternoon, Oli. Well, we're obviously looking to see Australia be reconnected. States clearly are making decisions about how they'll deal with that process, but the PM, we at the federal level believe that we have a contract through the national plan to reopen the country once we get through the 70 and 80 per cent thresholds. And I think that the wheel will turn very quickly on this because, in a sporting sense, people will want to move around. They will want to go to events, but we're already seeing athletes saying: well, we're not going to do a 14-day quarantine period. We're not going to go to a place that impacts us the way that they've seen over the last 12 months. The Australian Open, for example. I don't think- well, it won't go ahead if the athletes have to quarantine the way that they did last year. So Victoria will have to negotiate with the Australian Open for a system that the athletes are happy with or they will go somewhere else…

Oliver Peterson:

Yeah.

Richard Colbeck:

…That's exactly what will happen. And so we'll see that. We've said that we want to see the country open, we’ll open the borders and it'll start to manifest in other areas, such as perhaps even Test cricket. Probably [indistinct] Western Australia-

Oliver Peterson:

Well, that's it. And as the Minister for Sport, Richard Colbeck, we already have the West Australian Government today, and through the WA Cricket Association, asking for the summer schedule to be rearranged because as it stands, the fifth Test is in jeopardy here in Perth because the WA Government would not allow the English or the Australian men's cricket teams to fly in from New South Wales under the current border arrangements and play here at Optus Stadium.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, from my understanding of the border rules at the moment, and if the test team come in from into Queensland, which if they currently plan to do, they would have to quarantine. The cricketers won't quarantine, they won't come. We've had to do a lot of work to organise quarantine arrangements for the cricketers coming to Australia. We want the Ashes Tour to go ahead, but I'd say there's serious questions about whether or not there'll be a Test match in Perth this summer.

Oliver Peterson:

So Cricket Australia, you believe, just won't budge to those requests and what Perth misses out, potentially to another Test in Sydney? It might go to Canberra, even your home state of Tasmania?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I know that my premier is very interested. The likelihood of the Afghanistan Test happening is extremely slim. In fact, I don't think it will happen. So Tasmania would love to have a Test match. I'd love to see the Australian captain playing a Test match or captaining a Test match on his home state. So, I suspect that my premier is talking to those he needs to talk to see what he can arrange. Having had the Test in Sydney and Melbourne, there won't be the time frames for quarantine to occur before coming to Western Australia. So I'd suggest that the possibility of a Test match in Western Australia, this is very slim all over [indistinct].

Oliver Peterson:

Yeah, my mail is everything needs to be put into place by the end of the month, which obviously happens to be at the end of this week, so I think we'll know sooner rather than later. Is that your understanding, Minister?

Richard Colbeck:

Things are largely settled in terms of those arrangements, and if there's no chance of coming here without prolonged quarantine, I don't think it'll occur.

Oliver Peterson:

As the Sports Minister, did you enjoy the AFL Grand Final on Saturday night?

Richard Colbeck:

Oh, fantastic event, and congratulations to everyone here for putting on an absolutely brilliant event. Fantastic game. Enjoyed every moment of it, the whole deal. And this is where I think the wheel turns. Western Australia had something that other states didn't have available, which is the capacity for people to get together to move around. That will change over the next couple of months as we open the country up. And you all took advantage of it and put on a brilliant show, an absolutely memorable day, and it was clear that everyone was having the best time and [indistinct]…

Oliver Peterson:

[Talks over] We have been having the best time. Absolutely. And we've known for some time how good the facilities are there at Optus Stadium to be able to showcase that through twilight and evening football to the rest of the country. I would imagine the phones would be ringing off the hook as well to all the various WA sporting associations, the West Australian Government, and for you yourself as the Federal Minister for Sport, saying what else we could perhaps arrange here in Perth going forward.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, look, it is a fantastic facility. No question about that. One of the best in the country. And it certainly was showcased brilliantly on Saturday night with the AFL Grand Final. The issue will be, can people come here to use it? And that's where the change will occur over the near future. Will people be able to come in here to use it? Because people, well, as the western- the states stay closed and the eastern states open up, events will, I think, gravitate the other way for a period of time until everybody's able to move around the country freely without restriction. That's the important thing from a federal perspective. That's what we want to see. [Indistinct]…

Oliver Peterson:

Also in your portfolio responsibility there, Minister, is we have a Winter Olympics scheduled in China next year. I know some of the Backbenchers are saying we should be boycotting any Olympic Games scheduled in China. What would you say to that? In fact, would you like to be the first Australian minister to step foot in China next year during the Winter Olympics?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I think it's important that the athletes attend. I don't think that we ought to be putting barriers in their way. We need to continue to talk or attempt to talk to China. I made attempts to catch up with my counterpart while I was in Tokyo. I thought it was important. If you're not talking, you're not helping. So we should continue in our efforts to engage with China. They’re an important trading partner. Extremely important for Western Australia. So we ought to be doing all that we can to communicate with them. And so, we'll continue the conversations in relation to that and make some decisions about what we do in the government sense, but I think it's important the athletes, who've spent all their time and effort preparing, have the opportunity to compete.

Oliver Peterson:

Sport could be the way to heal the relationship between the two countries.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, sports a thing that brings communities together. We saw that at the weekend where all the communities here came together to watch the AFL Grand Final. You've got your grand final here next weekend and some of the events leading up to that in Grand Final Week in Western Australia. We know how important sport is to communities here, and it's not different in so many other places around the world. It's something that brings us together. And, you know, the Olympics and the Paralympics in Tokyo were something that brought the world back together after and through the pandemic, and I think it was really important that it occurred. I know how much people here enjoyed it. I'm sure that was similar around the world. So, it is a very important vehicle in the context of if connections community and being able to talk to each other, and so we ought to use every opportunity we have.

Oliver Peterson:

I hope you enjoy your stay here in WA, Minister. Thank you very much for your time.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much for having me on. Appreciate the chat.

Oliver Peterson:

That’s Richard Colbeck, the Minister for Sport.

Close

E&OE...

Leon Compton:

Who should make a decision, ultimately, about whether or not the Afghanistan men's team can play here later this year? If you think back through these issues over time, so often it feels like federal politicians are lobbying 20 year olds to make the decision. I remember the pressure on our cricketers back when Zimbabwe was in the spotlight. The pressure fell on cricketers to make a decision about whether or not they went there. I remember reading Tracy Wickham's autobiography and the pressure that she was under, the lectures being delivered by federal politicians saying she shouldn't go. Well, if you want to make the decision, shouldn't it be federal politicians who ultimately make it with all the advice and information they have at hand? Richard Colbeck’s the Federal Sports Minister and a Senator for Tasmania. Senator, good morning to you.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Leon.

Leon Compton:

Ultimately, if the Afghanistan men's team are not to play here, shouldn't it be you and federal politicians who make that decision?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it's a little bit like the Olympics. The Australian Government doesn't manage the Olympic Games, or put the games on, or manage teams, or even select teams; it's done by the IOC and the AOC. Similar circumstance with this, but our perspective, we've made quite clear overnight, we're very troubled about the reports coming out of Afghanistan about the ban on women playing sport. We don't think that's acceptable at any level. We've had some, have to say, very frank and productive discussions with Cricket Australia. They understand the situation and clearly are extremely committed to women's sport, women's cricket in particular. And my understanding is also that from an international perspective, under the ICC’s rules, a full women's program is a condition of membership of the International Cricket Council. That's why I've asked the ICC to take a stand against this approach from the new Afghan government.

Leon Compton:

[Interrupts] So ultimately, ultimately, Senator, have you asked for the Australian Cricket Council to say no to playing a test with the men's team from Afghanistan later this year in Tasmania?

Richard Colbeck:

Not specifically in those terms, Leon. We've had, I think, very productive discussions. I'm very confident in their stand and their perspective, and would be very confident in their decision making process. But at the end of the day, international cricket is controlled by the ICC. And it's not just about this test match, Leon, there are a number of other events that precede that. The T20 World Cup, for example, which won't be held in Australia, we don't have control over. And I would love- I would want to see the Australian cricket team participating in the World Cup. But the ICC is going to have to make a decision about Afghanistan's membership of the ICC. It has qualified for the T20 World Cup. And so this- there are a number of other elements to this, not just the test match here in Australia, in particular, the one in Tasmania. So ...

Leon Compton:

[Interrupts] So ultimately, Senator ...

Richard Colbeck:

... so there are bigger decisions to be made as part of this.

Leon Compton:

Ultimately, Senator, though, it's well within your power to lobby the government as Minister for Sport to say no visas will be offered to the Afghanistan men's cricket team and make a decision. Ultimately, we might have the unedifying position of politicians with all the information, lecturing 20 year olds about what they should do when it comes to playing Afghanistan.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I don't agree with that, Leon. I think that we're having very constructive and productive discussions with Cricket Australia. I've spoken to them a number of times overnight. I spoke to the Premier last night to understand the discussions that he's having and I'll leave him to make public comment on those, which I'm pretty sure he will. I think it's pretty clear our- what our view is. We don't accept excluding women from playing sport. We are currently operating on news reports, so we take that into account. We’ll be following up on this through our own channels, but ultimately, the sanctioning of a test match is something that's done by the International Cricket Council. Cricket Australia, obviously are very prominent members of that organisation. They understand their views very, very clearly.

Leon Compton:

And your views are that if there is no sanctioned women's team for Afghanistan in cricket, that this test match should not go ahead?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the ICC's rules state that to be a member, you have to have a full women's programme. And so, from my perspective, I don't see how the ICC can retain Afghanistan as a member if they are going to prohibit women from playing sport, which also means cricket. So there's a number of pieces to this. We're obviously very concerned, that's why we've made the statements that we have overnight. We’ll continue to work closely with Cricket Australia. There's a number of other events that are going on. The Indian women's team is here right now for a series of matches. So, you know, we are extremely committed to women's sport. We’ve seen [indistinct]…

Leon Compton:

[Interrupts] But sorry, but will you be denying, will you be denying the Afghan men's team a visa to come and play here on the basis of what you've told us and if the reports around the Taliban stance on women's sport is correct?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, those decisions haven't been made yet, Leon. But as we said yesterday, Afghani sports people will be welcomed in Australia, but not under the flag of the Taliban. And you know, if you look at the T20 series last year, there were five Afghanis who played in Australia. We celebrated that. We loved having them here and watching them play. Rashid Khan’s, I think, ranked number three in the world as a bowler in T20 at the moment. So we will continue to welcome Afghani sports people here, but not under the flag of the Taliban.

Leon Compton:

Richard Colbeck's our guest this morning., Federal Sports Minister, also Minister with responsibilities in the Aged Care Sector. Senator, how are vaccination rates amongst the workforce in the aged care sector in Tasmania?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, they're all going really well. I'm very pleased at the rates of vaccination. I don't have the specific breakdown for Tassie. Across the country, it's- well, it's 88.9 per cent nationally for first dose, 68.6 for second dose. So we're getting very, very close to having the workforce vaccinated with their first dose by our target next week, which is fantastic. And I have to say, I thank them for the work that they've been doing under very difficult circumstances, particularly during COVID.

Leon Compton:

And so to the issue of mandatory vaccinations for that workforce; where do you stand on mandating vaccines? We're debating that in Tasmania, and that's moving forward when it comes to the health workforce. What about for the aged care workforce and mandating vaccination if you want to take a shift?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that's why the National Cabinet made the decision that a mandate would be in place. That decision was supported by public health orders across the country, here in Tasmania. Tasmania’s made the decision with respect to the broader health workforce. And I think it's really important that we apply some of the principles we've been looking at right through the period of the pandemic, making sure that our health system can support Australians more broadly, but also those that are dealing with COVID is really important. And so protecting that workforce and making sure that they remain available is extremely important. I think in aged care in Victoria last year, when we didn't have a vaccine, we had to find replacements for about 7000 people during the height of that second wave that went through Victoria. The Victorian health system was suffering in the similar way. So protecting that frontline healthcare workforce is extremely important. And I think that Tasmania’s made a very good decision in respect of ensuring that that's the case. Because once we start having- once we get to 70 and 80 per cent, people start moving around, we will have cases in the community. We need to make sure that the health system can stand up to that, provide support for them and for the rest of the community.

Leon Compton:

[Interrupts] So just- and just to tease that out for a moment. Once vaccination rates reach 70 or 80 per cent, people start moving around, it's possible the Tasmanian Government won't go for that. Tasmanians can move around freely at the moment. How would you feel if the Tasmanian Government, the Premier waited until vaccination rates hit 90 per cent before anyone was allowed to come in from Victoria and New South Wales without quarantine?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, there's a national plan that's been agreed to. There are possibi- the national plan countenances localised actions as a part of that process, I'm very confident that we’ll reach 80, in fact, I was just looking at this morning's numbers on vaccinations. We're at 89.6 per cent first dose for people over 70. We’re at 82.13 per cent for people over 50. And there's more than 60 per cent of the eligible population over 16, at 64.5 per cent that are fully vaccinated. And so I think we're going to well and truly hit those numbers, which is fantastic. The Australian people are demonstrating very much that they want to get vaccinated and that they want to have their freedoms back. And all of us as political leaders are going to have to work with them to manage that.

Leon Compton:

Appreciate you talking with us this morning.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much, Leon.

Leon Compton:

Richard Colbeck, Senator for Tasmania, Federal Sports Minister, Minister with responsibilities in Aged Care as well.

Close

Leon Byner:

Meantime, morning to Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck. Good morning.

Richard Colbeck:

Good morning. How are you doing, Leon?

Leon Byner:

I'm good. I want to talk about the issue of aged care management, particularly in regional areas. And we have, and this is not the first example, where you've got Kindred Living who have been asked to get their standards up and do a little bit more under reasonable expectations, and as a result, they're considering selling it off. It seems to me that the elderly, particularly in regional areas of our state, are not getting a very good deal here. Is there anything we can do to fix it?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, you put your finger on a particular issue that I think is really important that we look at across the board. So the quality of management, the prudential oversight of facilities around the country is really important. We saw, and have seen over a period of time, that quite often, when you come back to understanding what the core issues are with respect to quality of care, it comes back to that particular management oversight. And so there is a requirement, as part of the reforms that we've put in place off the back of the Royal Commission, for an improvement in governments- governance qualifications and governance requirements. We saw it highlighted particularly in Victoria during COVID last year, where governance oversight, management oversight, leadership wasn't strong; that had an impact on the management of an outbreak, for example. So it is a really, really important indicator in the quality of delivery of care. So that will be part of the overall quality requirements for providers across the country. It doesn't matter whether it's in regional Australia or whether it's in metropolitan, but we need to ensure that those who have management responsibility for provision of aged-care are asking all the right questions about the quality of care being delivered and making sure that they're answered in the right way.

Leon Byner:

The issue as I see it is actually quite simple, Minister, and that is that you place requirements which are not unreasonable upon the businesses that run these organisations, they then decide that under the current funding that they get, the requirements asked of them are too onerous, and so they then think, well, look, it's not much point us trying to run a business in this particular model because it's not viable, so their option is to sell off. It seems to me that this way of doing business is not very good. What do you say?

Richard Colbeck:

Well Leon, there’s two elements to that. One, yes, we need to ensure there's good prudential oversight, good management oversight, whether that be from a financial or a clinical sense, for aged care providers. But also, we're moving to a new funding model, and that's going to be an important element in this. But you're right, there are some providers around the country who are deciding that because of the new requirements, particularly in the context of governance, that this is no longer the business for them so they're looking to exit. And quite frankly, that's a good thing. The issue for us as a government and as a community is to ensure that we find ways to ensure that there is service provision of the appropriate quality in regional parts of Australia. As someone who lives in regional Australia myself, I'm very focused on that, and have been all through my time in the portfolio. So that is also one of the things that we need to ensure, because as we're seeing in some communities around the country at the moment, the provision of services in those communities is at risk. And we want people to be able to age where they live- where they’ve lived their lives and where their families and communities are.

Leon Byner:

That’s Richard Colbeck, Aged Care Minister.

Close

Scott Emerson:

Well, it was an exciting night last night coming out of Tokyo, decision to award Brisbane the Olympic Games for 2032. Where will you be in 11 years’ time? Opening ceremony, 11 years’ time from tomorrow, 23 July 2032 will be the opening ceremony for the Brisbane Games. That will be very exciting. Now, one of the peoples over there as part of the bid by Australia, Queensland, and, particularly, Brisbane to get the games was the Federal Sports Minister, Richard Colbeck, and he joins me live now from Tokyo.

Minister, congratulations. A great win last night.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Scott. Yes, it was a fantastic night, a real coup for Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and something for all those young athletes in Australia, athletes and para-athletes to aspire to in 11 years’ time. 9, 10, 11-year olds sitting on the couch, watching the Olympics over the next couple of weeks, and the Paras in a few weeks’ time, really have got something to aim for. To be able to compete on home soil is a really rare thing. And it's really exciting that we've been able to pull off the opportunity for young Australians to do just that.

Scott Emerson:

Now, that is a very important point you're making there, Richard Colbeck, about where we go over the next decade as we develop the talent. I mean, there's plenty of parents here listening to 4BC Drive this afternoon. They might be thinking about: well, in 10 years’ time, my children will be maybe in their late teens, early 20s, maybe mid-20s. They would be, and are likely, possibly to be competing at the games here in Brisbane.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that's right, and I suspect most parents would think that they have huge confidence in their children's sporting prowess. They love to see them participating. And I think this is a huge opportunity. And when you look at a lot of the other events that are coming to Australia over the next decade – the Women's World Cup, FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, UCI Cycling next year, the Netball World Cup in 2027, our bid for the 2027 Rugby World Cup – there's a whole range of sporting events that are on our calendar already that set up a fantastic green and gold decade for young Australians to aspire to, and a whole range of sports culminating, of course, with the Olympics and Paralympics in ’32.

 

Scott Emerson:

All right then. So what is the role then for someone like you? You're the Federal Sports Minister. What plans do you put in place to make sure that that young talent that's out there right at this moment, is ready to go so we can win as most events as we can in 11 years’ time?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, there's a whole range of things that we do with the Federal Government right now. So we fund a program, for example, like sporting schools where sporting organisations can go into schools, give kids the opportunity to have a sport based experience that they don't have. It promotes participation. And that's one of the other things that we've supported over a long period of time. This is supporting participation. Some of our social inclusion programs, which actively promote inclusion in sport, whether culturally or- for new Australians, a whole range of those sorts of things so that people can become a part of the community, become a part of community sport, then progress through the various systems to elite sport. And of course, through the Australian Institute of Sport and the National Institute Network. We do support elite athletes for a whole range of things, including supporting them in the context of mental wellbeing. So generating that pathway that's there, and of course, working with the local council, or councils, in the region, and the Queensland Government. The Federal Government will be working on the infrastructure that supports the games from a range of points of view. Transport infrastructure, obviously, as the demand for that grows over the next decade or so. That work will be done. And, of course, as you saw with the Commonwealth Games in 2018, there's a lot of infrastructure that was built for those games that is now being utilised for community sport and providing training bases and training facilities, and support for local community sport. Those facilities will be planned and built, too, in time for the games.

Scott Emerson:

I’m talking to the Federal Sports Minister, Richard Colbeck, live from Tokyo after last night's great result for Brisbane to host the 2032 Olympics. Minister, part of the Team Australia, Team Queensland, Team Brisbane effort to win this games was an agreement between the Feds and Queensland to share the costs of the games going forward. Now, as part of that agreement, you get to share also the big decisions being made. Are you comfortable that Queensland will play ball on that?

Richard Colbeck:

Oh, I know they will. And I've had some very constructive discussions working with Stirling Hinchliffe, my ministerial counterpart in Queensland. We've been talking regularly about that. And our officials are also working together to make sure that we've got the actual arrangements that are required for the structures in place so that those things can effectively happen. In fact, that's one of the conditions on us being a 50-50 funding partner, that we are also a 50-50 decision making and strategic partner in that process. And that was one of the conditions that the Prime Minister put on his decision, the Federal Government's decision, to support the bid with that resource.

Scott Emerson:

Well, you say you're confident that will happen, but we do know that the Feds were blindsided by the decision or the announcement by the Palaszczuk government about a $1 billion spend to upgrade the Gabba, the stadium there, something that you guys weren't aware of. And they just went out the media and said: well, we're going to do it and we expect the Feds to pay half the price.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that's what's driven us putting in place the structures to ensure that we do have a part in those decisions, and are actively consulted as part of the design and the delivery of the facilities that are being promoted. So it's from that particular point that our requirement for full participation as a 50/50 partner in those decisions is taken because of that moment.

Scott Emerson:

Well, all right. Now let's talk about that particular announcement, the $1 billion upgrade of the Gabba. You were blindsided by it. The Federal Government was blindsided by it. You’ve said: alright, going forward, 50-50 per cent- 50/50 agreement then. Have you agreed to the upgrade of the Gabba?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that project will now be assessed through the process that we have. Clearly, it’s been put on the table as part of the Olympic bid, so that's an expectation that sits there. But I was asked last night at one of the press conferences how we ensure that we stick to our budgets and our costing proposals. Our active participation is one of the things that we’ll utilise to do that. It's really important that we make sure that we spend taxpayers’ money wisely. And so those systems will be now set up as a part of our development of the organisations that actually manage the bid- the games are going forward towards 2032.

Scott Emerson:

Richard Colbeck, again, congratulations for last night, and thank you for joining us live from Tokyo today.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Scott. Thanks, [indistinct] talk to you.

Close

 

 

 

E&OE…

 

Fran Kelly:

Well, how good is Queensland? That was the Prime Minister’s triumphant cry after Brisbane was awarded the 2032 Summer and Paralympics. It will be the third time Australia has hosted the biggest show on earth, which will come with a price tag of $5 billion in today’s terms, split apparently 50/50 between the state and the Commonwealth. The Federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck is in Tokyo, where the COVID-delayed 32^nd Olympic Games are now finally under way.

Minister, thanks very much for joining us.

Richard Colbeck:

Good morning Fran.

Fran Kelly:

In the end, a contest for the 2032 Olympics was a thumping win for Brisbane. 72 delegates voted for the city, and just five against. What was it about the Brisbane bid that so appealed to the IOC, or was it simply that it wasn’t a contest, it was the arithmetics of last man standing?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, there were a number of other countries that were interested, but the bid was extremely comprehensive. It hit all of the things that the IOC look for in a bid now. It complied with their 2020+5 documents. It was put together in accordance with the new norm proposals for bidding for future games. And so, it actually hit every mark and that was very much the feedback that I got back from delegates when I was receiving congratulations from them after the announcement was made. An extraordinarily exciting time for Australia over the next 11 years as we lead up to the games.

Fran Kelly:

And in the new norm, that’s effectively a cut price Olympics. It’s streamlining the bidding process to reduce the cost. It means rival cities now campaign against each other, and then the Olympics itself are about using- in the main, venues that already exist. This cut price Olympics is expected to cost about $5 billion in today’s dollars, which is less than the Sydney Olympics cost back in 2000. And by comparison, the Tokyo Games will cost $20 billion which includes the COVID-19 delay that’s blown out the budget.

So, what’s the key to Brisbane keeping costs down, and can we actually rely on it?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we clearly need to maintain a disciple as we work our way through the development. But one of the things that was important in the bid is the infrastructure that we’re going to be building is largely infrastructure that will be required for the community as that part of Australia grows. So, those investments will be made anyway. In most cases, there’ll be some additional facilities that will be built, obviously, for the Olympics. But 85 per cent of the facilities are existing or will be temporary. So, there was a very, very strong focus on minimising costs. We’re talking about a difference in the context that Brisbane is not a major capital city. It’s a midsized metropolitan region, and so that’s something that’s different in what’s occurred in previous times. So, it is demonstrating a path for the future with respect to other cities from around the world that might consider bidding, and using the infrastructure that they have, but the development that comes along with the games in the interests of their local communities in the lead-up to and subsequent to the Games.

Fran Kelly:

And the key to that is in this case, the three tiers of government. The Commonwealth has agreed to share costs. In that agreement, is that for everything? Not just for the $5 billion around upgrading, building your arenas and the running cost, but for that infrastructure you’re talking about? The road and rail links, for instance, between the Gold Coast and Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. What’s that total budget? Do we have that?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that’s still being decided, and that’s part of the agreement that the Prime Minister struck with the Premier, is part of agreeing to- that the funding’s split, so the Commonwealth and the state will sit down together, will plan out strategically what the infrastructure needs are over and above what would normally have been built. We’ll plan that, and then we’ll do the costing of it. So, that’ll be part of the discipline of maintaining the budget for the games in a genuine partnership. And of course, also working with the councils in the region who set this whole process off by the forward planning work, the strategic planning work they did in the hope of starting a bidding process.

Fran Kelly:

But it won’t be a cut price games, will it, in terms of the athletes and the spectators? Can you give that guarantee now, that the Olympic experience for those attending the games and those in the games will be as good as it was in Sydney?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think if you listen to what Mayor Adrian Schrinner said yesterday, it might be a cut price games but it won’t- certainly won’t be a cut experience games. It will be maximising the experience. There’ll be three hubs for activities and athletes. We’ll be limiting the athlete travel time, and so I certainly think that the experience will be exceptional. That’s what Australia does. We’ve seen that with the games in Melbourne and Sydney. Melbourne, the Friendly Games; Sydney described by Juan Antonio Samaranch as the best ever. And I’m sure that Brisbane, the surrounding cities, and South East Queensland will be aspiring to do just the same.

Fran Kelly:

There’ll be, you know, there’s a lot of euphoria at this announcement. A lot of people very excited about this, particularly Queenslanders, but not all; a lot of people. But there’ll also be people who say, well why are we spending money on this when we’ve got so much need in the country, in the area of where the Olympics will be held, South East Queensland for instance, there’s a lot of disadvantage. What’s your answer to that? That somehow this money won’t be taking away services from those who need it more?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think one of the important things there is that a lot of the infrastructure, as I indicated a moment ago, will be built to service and support people in South East Queensland anyway. I mean, the transport infrastructure that’s required, the Games Village will be redeveloping areas that will provide accommodation post-games and support. All of those things are going to be contributing to the economy. The projections from the work that was done in support of the bid indicated a $8.1 billion economic boost to South East Queensland, $17 plus billion nationally, over 120,000 jobs and 90,000 in South East Queensland, so these are all very positive economic benefits that will support the development, the infrastructure, and the community in Queensland, but also nationally.

Fran Kelly:

Minister, there’s been plenty of criticism in the run up to this of the delegation, you, and the Premier, and others being in Tokyo for this announcement given it was almost a lay down misere. But now the Games are underway, will you be attending the opening ceremony tomorrow night? There’s reports that you and the Premier were ordered to do so by AOC President John Coates.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I’d already agreed that I would be attending and in my view, we’ve just been awarded the biggest sporting event on the planet. My view is that being here, I should attend the opening ceremony, so I will be. I haven’t had a chance to confirm that finally with the Premier last night, but I was sitting next to her when John Coates made his particular intervention. But, I think we need to respect the IOC. That’s why the delegation came here in the first place. I don’t believe that it was a complete lay down misere. If we hadn’t been here, I don’t think yesterday would have happened the way that it did. The IOC could very well have voted to go back to continuous dialogue and start looking at some other cities. The fact that we came here, we presented, I think that was fundamental in the decision that was made last night.

Fran Kelly:

The competition’s only just started, and already the number of cases associated with the Games, with athletes and officials and employees, is around- is already above 80. The Chief of the Tokyo Organising Committee has not ruled out cancelling the Olympics if there’s a spike in infections. Could that still happen? Is there talk around the Olympic Organisation there, and where you are, the venues, that that could happen?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I suppose it sits in the background, Fran, but I think the real desire here is to maintain the disciplines that are very, very strict with respect to athletes, separation of the community here, from those that have come in for the Games. When I was talking to President Bach yesterday, they were very resolute in ensuring that their protocols are being followed to protect both the athletes and the officials over here, but also the people of Tokyo. We are very, very grateful that Tokyo, Japan, have us here to undertake these Games right now. We all know how difficult COVID is and they’re doing it hard just as…

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] Okay.

Richard Colbeck:

… many other nations are around the world. And so this is a significant event. It’ll bring a lot of joy to a lot of people and we ought to thank the people of Tokyo for having us here, and very much appreciate that they are having the Games on.

Fran Kelly:

Richard Colbeck, you’re also the Minister for Aged Care, and today we learn a Sydney nursing home, the Palms in Kirrawee, will be locked down for two weeks after a nurse tested positive for COVID. The nursing home says all the residents are vaccinated but not all of the stuff, so, you know, it’s a direct result, really, of the failure on the vaccination front. The Prime Minister, yesterday, appealed to the vaccine advisory board, ATAGI, to relax its advice on AstraZeneca so more Australians can get vaccinated. The shortage of Pfizer, obviously, has slowed this down. Do you support that stance? Would that speed up the vaccination drive for aged care workers?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, obviously, the availability of the AstraZeneca vaccine that we have in Australia, and using that across more of the community would speed up the vaccination process and the work that ATAGI does is always risk-based, and we’ve seen that quite clearly demonstrated with some of the advice that they’ve given to Government. It’s a very, very difficult situation [indistinct]…

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] Would you wish the advice from ATAGI had been different?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think we all would have preferred that we didn’t have the issues that we’ve seen occur with the AstraZeneca vaccine. We want to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible. I think we’ve seen the positive effects of the vaccination regime, particularly in the context of residents of aged care where we’ve had a number who have contracted the virus but their illness has been quite mild. Now, that is great news and if you compare that to the circumstance that we faced last year, when COVID got into residential aged care facilities, we all braced ourselves for the impact.

Fran Kelly:

Alright.

Richard Colbeck:

So far, we haven’t seen that here in Australia this time, and it shows the benefits of the vaccine program. So, getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible is what we all want to see.

Fran Kelly:

Minister, thanks for joining us.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much, Fran.

Fran Kelly:

Richard Colbeck is Minister for Sport and Aged Care Services. You’re listening to RN Breakfast.

Close

Question:

Premier, a huge day for Queensland. Do you want to start by saying a few words to everyone listening back home?

Annastacia Palaszczuk:

Yeah, sure. To everyone listening back home, I'm so excited. I have so much pride in my state for our people. Never in my lifetime did I think this was going to happen. We've done it, Queensland. We've done it, Brisbane. This is fantastic. It's amazing. Tonight is your night. Enjoy

Adrian Schrinner:

Brisbane is a place that has been through a lot. It's been through natural disasters and floods, but it's always had that determined spirit and ambition. And today, it is Brisbane’s time to shine. This is a new era for Brisbane, but also a new era for the Olympic movement as well. We are so excited with this new model. The lower cost games, but supersizing the benefits is going to be so great for our city, our region and our state.

Annastacia Palaszczuk:

John?

John Coates:

I'm thrilled on behalf of the Australian Olympic movement. The opportunity that this presents to all of our sports, to the next generation of athletes, Indigenous programs, and I'd like to thank our partners, the Federal Government, the Brisbane City Council, and the Queensland Government for taking this challenge up and working with us. And we look forward to continuing this team over the next 11 years. Thanks, everyone.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, John. Thanks, Adrian. Thanks, Annastacia. This is an extraordinarily exciting time for Australia to bring the Olympics back for just the third time. We're one of two countries who’ve competed in every modern Olympic Games. We’ve competed in every Paralympic Games. We've competed in every Winter Olympics since 1936, with the exception of 1948. So we have a very proud tradition. This will draw enormous amount for athletes. To those young Australians who are sitting on the couch tonight, aspiring to be an athlete, the chance to compete on home soil in Brisbane 2032 is yours. So this is a huge night for Australia, huge opportunity. And it's been wonderful to be a part of a team with the State Government, Brisbane City Council, and the Southeast Council of Mayors, the Australian Olympic Movement and the Paralympic Movement to bring together this bid tonight. It is hugely exciting and a lot of work to do now between now and ’32. But so much for us all to look forward to.

Question:

Mr Coates and Premier, if I can ask you both this question, this is a moment that's really been decades in the making for Brisbane. What do you think it was that ultimately gave Queensland the edge? And what can you tell us about the conversations that were happening behind the scenes at the IOC and how our pitch was received here?

Annastacia Palaszczuk:

I’ll let John go into a bit more detail, but I think that from the outset, it was definitely the cooperation of the three levels of government. That stood out for the IOC, that here you can see all levels of government prepared to put everything aside and put the interests of the city, the state, and the nation above everything else. And we work best when we work together. I also think that the International Olympic Committee was blown away tonight with the presentations on how beautiful our state is. And we want to welcome people back to Queensland after the pandemic and celebrate in true Queensland style. And like Richard said, too, this is about all of the future. It's about the young people sitting at home tonight dreaming that impossible dream. But these dreams can come true. So we also wish all of our athletes all the very best as they compete here in Tokyo. Good luck to team Australia.

John Coates:

Yes, this has been 35 years in the making. And [indistinct] when we [indistinct] a candidate than ’85, ’86. We weren’t ready. And at the time, it had to be one city. The rules now let us engage with other regions, engage them. And as has happened in the [indistinct] games for quite some time. Brisbane’s matured. Brisbane will continue to mature over the next 11 years, particularly with the infrastructure investment that the Federal Government, that the State Government have committed to. So it took a while coming, but the city’s maturing, has matured. And it’s just a wonderful opportunity for us. And I was never sure how I'd feel this time, second time around, a second contract I’ve signed. And every bit is emotional.

Question:

What is the feedback about Queensland tonight here with other members?

John Coates:

I can tell, as we’ve made presentation, that we will resonate. There was no doubt about it. We resonated with the future host commission. They’re report was so positive, honest. The work that had been done, first into the feasibility by the Council of Mayors of Southeast Queensland. They did a value assessment.  The Federal Government- a lot of work went into this. It just wasn’t this presentation. A lot of work with the International Federation on nailing the master planning to get the venues in the right places, approximate to training and the villages. It was a very, very sophisticated, good bid and the members and federations understood that.

Question:

We saw that there were fireworks already in celebration in Brisbane tonight. How will you all be celebrating and do you feel a sense of excitement?

John Coates:

She's very excited.

Annastacia Palaszczuk:

I am. I can’t believe it. I am just blown away.

Adrian Schrinner:

You would have seen on the live feed, those fireworks, a celebration. My wife and four young kids are there right now in Brisbane celebrating, and they are so excited. That excitement bottles up the excitement that everyone in Brisbane and south east Queensland is feeling.

Question:

And just how much does Australia need this news right now as well?

Richard Colbeck:

It's great news for Australia. We've all been through a really tough time. The world’s been going through a though time. These games I think are – the Tokyo Games – are really important for the world, to bring the world’s athletes back together and give the world something to- give it joy and celebrate. So really important for these games and the [indistinct] same feeling and the anticipation for Brisbane too. Really important for Australia. We have a green and gold decade in front of us now. We have a whole range of fantastic events starting next year while leading up to now the 2032 games in Brisbane, and so many opportunities for our young athletes to see the world's best on the world stage on Australian soil. And so much opportunity for inspiration and growth in sport, and so many things to bring our communities back together after the real difficulty of having COVID pandemic.

John Coates:

I'd like to give the opportunity to my fellow IOC member, James Tomkins, six times Olympian, three times gold medallist and I think that he’s got a pretty good understanding of- he’s a member of the Athletes Commission. He’s part of a [indistinct]. He knows what they were thinking. James.

James Tomkins:

Yeah, absolutely. I’m just incredibly proud for this moment. I know what it's like to compete. I competed in Sydney. You know, to have the chance to compete in your home Olympics is just incredible. And I remember the whole country, and the whole world coming together for Sydney. It's going to happen again in Brisbane. But during the presentation I had tears in my eyes, I was so proud. And seeing the other members nodding and then afterwards, the conversations around how impressed they were with the holistic approach of this and just so, so proud and so, so excited for everyone. Not just Australians, not just Queenslanders, not just Australians but all of the visitors that we’re going to have come and join.

Annastacia Palaszczuk:

Mr President, thank you.

Thomas Bach:

Congratulations.

Annastacia Palaszczuk:

Thank you. Thank you.

Question:

Mr Bach, could we ask you a couple of questions? Would you mind stepping up to the microphone?

Thomas Bach:

It’s a pleasure.

Question:

This is such an exciting moment for Australia. This is the moment, decades in the making, particularly for Brisbane. What was it that gave Queensland the edge?

Thomas Bach:

It’s also an exciting moment for the International Olympic Committee because with Brisbane, their [indistinct] is fully aligned with Olympic Agenda 2020 [indistinct]. It’s a very sustainable project and it’s a project with a great legacy and it’s a project from its sports loving nation. And this is what this is about, to see the sports loving Aussies celebrating the Olympic Games. I hope I can still make it until then [indistinct].

Question:

You must be confident that the games are in safe hands now?

Thomas Bach:

Definitely, very safe hands. We know about Australia and their experience in delivering great sports events. And we know about their reliability and again, we know about their passion for the sport and their great commitment, which has also been demonstrated here today. A great commitment for inclusion and these are the Olympic values very well reflected in this project. So Brisbane 2032, here we go together.

Question:

And here we are standing in Tokyo. This is a historic vote happening on the eve of a historic games here. How are you feeling on the eve of the Tokyo 2020 about to take place?

Thomas Bach:

With great anticipation because the athletes are longing for this moment. I've been visiting two or three times the Olympic Village. And I have never felt such an anticipation by the athletes, such a longing for the moment that it starts, and such a commitment to the games. So Friday evening will be a great, great moment for the athletes of the world.

Question:

Thank you so much for your time.

Close

Question:

… to be here on the ground in Tokyo?

Richard Colbeck:

Very excited to be here, it’s been [indistinct] for Australia, for Brisbane and Queensland. I’m looking forward to playing my part in hopefully successfully bringing home the ’32 Games.

Question:

Minister, how concerned are you about the evolving situation on the ground and the fact that our athletes have arrived to an infected village?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think we all understood that there was always a risk that COVID would be in the village. So, significant precautions have been taken by the IOC and the AOC to safeguard the athletes. They all understand that. We’ve been living with COVID at home; it’s a [indistinct] situation here, just as it is at home at the moment. I send my enormous gratitude to the Japanese people for having us here. This is a huge event for the world, it will give a lot of people a lot of joy and we all thank the Japanese people for having us here.

Question:

Just how important is it to lock in this bid to bring the Olympics to Brisbane in 2032?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it’s a huge thing for Australia. It’s the biggest sporting event in the entire world. And if you think of the eight, nine, ten year olds who are sitting at home today, aspiring to be an Olympian, the opportunity for them to compete on home soil in just over a decade is enormous. It’s a huge opportunity. We saw it in 2000 when Cathy Freeman and so many others performed so brilliantly. So, the opportunity to bring the games back to Australia for a third time, to be the only nation who’s compete- what will be one of only two nations that’s competed at every summer games. So we have a huge history with this and it’s an enormous event for Australia. I’m really looking forward to playing my part in the bidding process to bring the games home.

Question:

Is this a meet- sorry. Is this a meeting that yourself and the Premier could’ve done over Zoom?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that’s not what the IOC told us. They’re allocating to us the biggest sporting event on the planet. I think that their request that Australia is personally represented here to present to the IOC is a fair request, and I think it’s reasonable that we make the effort to come.

Question:

And Minister, you know, in terms of the COVID situation, what kind of message can you give to the Australian athletes on behalf of the Australian Government and how they can manage that, and how they can manage the expectations of the Australian pubic?

Richard Colbeck:

Well look, I think the athletes have been through an enormous amount over the last 12 months with the games having been postponed. They’ve done a lot in preparation, they’re performing magnificently at the moment. They understand, I think, precautions that they need to take. It’s no different to the things that the Australian Government’s been saying to the Australian people over the course of the pandemic – look after your own personal hygiene; hand etiquette, keep- you know, wash your hands; maintain a safe distance from people. All of those disciplines need to be maintained. And they’ll have a great time here. A huge opportunity. Fantastic expectations from the Australian community. And we really look forward to Australian athletes performing well.

We’ve been in a very fortunate situation over the last 12 months. We’ve had the opportunity to move relatively freely within the country. So, I think, an enormous opportunity, and I know Australian’s are looking forward to seeing our athletes performing on the international stage.

It’ll bring a lot of joy to a lot a people. We’ll find some new heroes. We’ll meet some new people… and, we’re all looking forward to it. The world’s looking forward to it. As I said, this event will bring a lot of joy to a lot of people around the world, and we all thank the Japanese people for having us here. Thank you.

Question:

Thank you so much, Minister. Thank you. Enjoy your stay and stay safe.

Close

We know that providing opportunities for people to engage in things that they really enjoy in residential aged care is really important, and so congratulations to the TSO for the initiative, but also to Strathdevon and Uniting AgeWell for actually picking up the program and taking the opportunity to give their residents here and around the state in Victoria the opportunity to interact with. I think it’s a really good thing and it’s demonstrated by the response from the residents who are enjoying the concert here today.

Question:

Would you like something like this rolled out across all aged care facilities?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, there are a number of programs as this, and I would urge any aged care provider across the country to get in touch with the TSO and consider a subscription. It’s a real opportunity. It increases the TSO’s footprint – as I said, one of the great orchestras here in Australia. It’s fantastic to see the initiative. Almost the best seats in the house. You’re getting to view the orchestra from all different angles, rather than just sitting down in the audience. The music is fantastic. So, it’s something that has- I think is the opportunity to offer anyone something who enjoys this type of music. And I’ve had conversations with a number of providers looking to provide services of music into residential aged care around Australia in different forms and formats. And we know that music’s something that can take you right back through your life. How often do you hear the term: the soundtrack of my life?

And so, there’s so many different opportunities for this to occur and it’s a fantastic interaction for people who are utilising residential aged care across the country. And of course, as we start to implement the opportunities and the reforms out of the Royal Commission that we responded to on Budget Day, these sorts of initiatives supporting the residents and providing them with entertainment opportunities are going to be really important because part of the measurement of residential aged care is going to be quality of life, and these things certainly contribute to that.

Question:

Yeah, great. And can we just ask on vaccines as well…

Richard Colbeck:

[Talks over] Sure.

Question:

… In terms of Pfizer, will we have enough shipments from the Federal Government coming into Tasmania?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the Pfizer vaccine is being distributed nationally based on population. Those discussions have been had with the premiers and the chief health officers across the country as a part of the vaccination rollout process. The projections for Pfizer supply have been made public to the end of the year, so people- all of us can understand what the vaccine supplies will be as we ramp- continue to ramp up the rollout as more supplies become available. So, it’s been done evenly. It’s been done without any preference to one state or another based on population. And of course, there has been the opportunity when there’s been the need to focus on certain areas, as we saw in Victoria a few weeks ago. But the rollout is being done nationally, and based on population with all of the vaccines that are available.

Question:

Is there going to be a way to streamline the system, the way the booking system works, because there’s pop-up clinic- pop-up kiosks, I should say, in Burnie today to help people to book. Obviously they’re finding it too hard to do it.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, look, I think there’s a number of elements to that. The bulk of the heavy work that’s been done so far on vaccine delivery has been done by GPs, and they’ve done a great job. And we see from this week 500 doctors around the country, seven of them here in Tasmania, will be offering Pfizer. They’ve already got those supplies. They’ve started delivering those vaccines this week. That will ramp up by another 850 over the next few weeks, and of course as more supplies become available we’ll continue to roll out additional supplies to more GPs, and they will continue to do great work, and we’ll continue to work with the states as we have with respect to making supplies available to them so that they can roll out the vaccine through their various clinics. And as you say, Martin, there’s a roving clinic that’s been operating around the north-west of Tassie of late - it was in Smithton a couple of weeks ago, it’s operating out of Burnie today, it’s been here at LaTrobe – and that will continue. And we will continue to grow the number of outlets that are available for Australians to access a vaccine, and of course, as more supply becomes available, we’ll be able to give each of those outlets more vaccine to be able to distribute to Australians.

Question:

What percentage of aged care workers in Tasmania have been vaccinated?

Richard Colbeck:

Tassie’s doing actually quite well. It’s, I think, in the late 30s, early 40s, so it’s a little bit above the national average. And we continue to facilitate the rollout for aged care workforce. We’ve been concerned about it for quite a while, which is why we asked the AHPPC back in January whether or not we should make it mandatory. So, it’s been something that we’ve been concerned about right from the outset. And of course, we've had to change the way that we’ve been rolling out the vaccine for the aged care workforce on a couple of occasions based on the medical advice particularly, when the change in requirements around the AstraZeneca vaccine was first made and then again when it was second made- when the second changes were made. But the National Cabinet, at its meeting last week, decided that all aged care workers would have Pfizer made available to them. So, it’s now a matter of us continuing to work through the various- the number of outlets that we have to make the vaccine available to the aged care workforce.

And of course, the other important decision of the National Cabinet last week was that, by the middle of September, it will be mandatory for residents or aged care workforce to have had at least one dose by that point in time. And that was the third time that the AHPCC had considered that [indistinct] request of Government which is a clear demonstration of how important [indistinct].

Question:

So, nationally, I think the figure’s sitting about 36 per cent of aged care workers have been fully vaccinated. Do you think that’s acceptable?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that’s actually not quite right. It’s 36 per cent that have had the first dose and of course, as the weeks roll around, that will continue to increase. Clearly, it’s something we’re concerned about which is why the Prime Minister asked AHPCC to consider making it mandatory. That was a very important decision and it demonstrates the level of concern that we had. So, it’s important that we provide that additional layer of protection to residents in residential aged care by having the workforce vaccinated.

There is one aged care facility in Australia to have its final doses of vaccine that will occur tomorrow is my advice. So, the residents have had that important protection. And we’ve seen that start to play out in respect of those who have contracted the virus in Victoria in particularly. All of those residents on the advice that I’ve received are now back at the aged care facility, they only had mild illness. And we know that both vaccines, the AstraZeneca and the Pfizer vaccine, protect you against severe illness. That’s the point of the vaccine.

But the worker at- in the Victorian case actually had been vaccinated. The first worker that we discovered who’d been- who contracted the virus was actually vaccinated. So, it’s not necessarily a complete protection against transmission but the very important thing is that we’ve worked through the vaccination of the resident. And now, of course, the National Cabinet decision, the agreement by all of the states and territories, that the workforce should be vaccinated is a very important decision. And now, we are continuing the work to ensure that they have access to a vaccine [indistinct] …

Question:

[Interrupts] Why wasn’t that decision made earlier? If you work at a child care centre, you have to have certain vaccinations to be able to do that.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we first went to the AHPCC in January to ask this question and the question at that point in time was whether or not the vaccine prevented transmission. We weren’t certain. There are still questions around that. And of course, as I’ve just said, the first worker discovered at Maidstone- Arcare Maidstone in Victoria had actually been vaccinated. The important was that the residents had also been vaccinated. All of the three residents who contracted the virus had been vaccinated. They only contracted a mild illness. And as I've been advised that they’re now all back at the facility and that facility has been stood down from that outbreak. That is great news. Had they not been vaccinated based on the figures from last year, there's a probability that a number of those residents wouldn't have survived given their ages and their comorbidities.

And so, the importance of vaccinating the residents cannot be understated. It provides them all with protection. And that's what we're urging Australians more generally to get vaccinated. We understand and we see it from overseas that it doesn't necessarily prevent transmission, it suppresses transmission, we know that, but it doesn't completely prevent it. But what the vaccine does, it protects you- it protects you against serious illness. And that's the important thing that we're stressing.

So, we're urging Australians to take up the vaccine. And that's why the AHPCC didn't give us the advice at the outset to compulsorily vaccinate the workforce because we didn't have the answers to those questions. The rate of vaccination within aged care was one of the factors that was considered by both the AHPPC and the National Cabinet when they made their decision last week to vaccinate because we wanted to ensure we have that extra layer of protection around Australia's most vulnerable people.

Question:

Do you anticipate- sorry, do you anticipate aged care workers may quit over this mandatory vaccination rather than go through with it?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, we're concerned that some of them may do that. We continue to work to- we continue to talk to the sector and also to their- the employee representative groups, the unions, with respect to this, because we are concerned. We want them to stay in the job. They do a very important job caring for senior Australians. And if any of you have seen the interaction that's been occurring here today, you'll see how positive it is. So, it's important. We want them to stay, but we also would like as many of them as possible- in fact, we've said it's mandatory. We want them to get vaccinated to provide that extra layer of protection that is so important for our most vulnerable.

Question:

Do you have an estimate on what percentage might be looking at that? At quitting?

Richard Colbeck:

No, look, we haven't looked specifically at that and we haven't had any particular advice from that. There will be some people, for medical reasons, who might be exempt and we'll consider those things. But other than the appropriate medical reasons and exactly the same way as we did last year, where in each state and territory there were public health orders that mandated the flu vaccine, we're anticipating a similar approach there. We did lose some last year around flu vaccine, but it wasn't that many. But of course, at a point in time when we're looking to grow and build the workforce, it's important that we don't lose too many.

Question:

You also mentioned at the start of this that Tasmania's vaccination rate for aged care workers was higher than the national average. Where are we sitting at the moment?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I'd have to go back and calculate the numbers. I'm happy to provide that to you after and give you the number if you like. But I don't have it in my head. But I know that the last time I calculated it, we were a bit above the national average.

Question:

And is that fully vaccinated? Like both doses?

Richard Colbeck:

No. Well, I can give you both numbers, but I was working off the first dose numbers. And Victoria, for example, I think, were sitting just under 50 per cent, so they were a bit higher. And I think we all understand the reason behind that. And Tassie, I think, were second or third in the list.

Question:

You’re saying how important it is for these vaccinations to occur, but previously the government has also said this isn't a race. Do you still stand by that?

Richard Colbeck:

We want as many people to get as vaccinated- get vaccinated as soon as possible. And the constraint that we currently have is vaccine supply. And we are very fortunate here in Australia that we don't have broad scale community transmission. I was looking at the figures just before I came out here today. There are 370,000 cases of COVID globally just yesterday. So we're very lucky that we don't have that high level of community transmission which gives us the opportunity to manage an orderly vaccine program. We've had some hitches along the way. We've had some hiccups along the way, particularly the advice with respect to the AstraZeneca vaccine, which we were looking to do most of the heavy lifting. And that has constrained the capacity of the rollout. We would much prefer had that not happened.

We were very unfortunate that perhaps one of the better vaccines, the UQ vaccine, provided a false positive test for AIDS and that had to be discontinued. We’re, right from the outset, looked at having a number of different vaccines within our toolkit. We still do that. We have the Pfizer and the AstraZeneca vaccine that are available now. The Moderna and the Novavax vaccines will come on later in the year and build our capacity. So we need to continue to roll the vaccine out now, but also to make available the number- the outlets to give access to Australians to pick up the vaccine as the supplies grow.

Question:

You mentioned there's seven GPs already ready to go in terms of the Pfizer vaccine. How are those GP clinics being selected?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we're working with each of the clinics. Some of them may have been providing AstraZeneca previously, some of them may be new to the program. We're looking to make sure that there is a good regional distribution as well. And we need to make sure that the distribution of the vaccines is spread across the country in communities so that all communities can have access to the vaccine. It was a point of conversation this morning at the meeting that I had with Minister Hunt and our officials to make sure that we did have a good regional distribution. And that will be a feature of the way that we roll out as we grow the number of outlets that the Pfizer is available at.

Question:

Do you know when Tasmania will receive its next doses of Pfizer in terms of this latest boost to the doses?

Richard Colbeck:

From the way I understand the system working is that there are deliveries each week. And so in GP practice, they will order a number of vaccines that they want in ensuing weeks and the deliveries will be made against those. And states and territories have been given forward projections of the supplies that they will be receiving and then the deliveries are made in subsequent weeks against those projections. And confirmed once we actually get vaccines in the country. One of the things that you can see in the document that was released a couple of weeks ago that gave a projection of supplies that there’s upper and lower bounds, that is dependent on the actual deliveries, given there are still vaccines that are coming into the country, and of course the variations that occur in vaccine manufacturer for the AstraZeneca vaccines here in Australia.

Question:

Are there delays in Tasmania? Sydney and Melbourne doctors started administering Pfizer shots in GP clinics yesterday. So, are there delays here in this state?

Richard Colbeck:

Tasmania's doctors started delivering Pfizer vaccines in Tasmania yesterday as well. So those vaccines were delivered last week. They all started together this week.

Question:

I have some questions from a colleague in Canberra. Why did the government press ahead with a $5 million grant for a swimming pool in Christian Porter’s electorate when the health department said there was a significant risk in funding the pool which won't be built for another five years?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that was part of the development of the overall program. I think that was- it's a good project. It was supported by Minister Porter at the time. I think it's an important part of the development and the spread of that program across the country. And so that was a decision made at that point in time in the lead up to the election appropriately. And of course, now we're working with the local council to progress the grant.

Question:

Is this not a classic example of pork-barrelling ahead of the election?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, look across the board and you'll see that every political party makes election commitments. The Labor Party has done that. The Liberal Party does that. It's an election commitment. We will now progress the delivery of that election commitment.

Question:

When Andrew Gee - or Gee maybe - wrote to you last year raising concerns about the upgrade to the North Sydney Hall, what were those concerns?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, he was relaying to me a concern, the concerns of a constituent around the guidelines for the program. The constituent had received or been reading some media that was not correct. The program was to provide for facilities across the country in both rural and regional and urban areas. That was clearly stated in the Prime Minister's press release when the grant round was announced. And so I responded to Minister Gee accordingly.

Unidentified Speaker:

Last question.

Question:

The Queensland Premier has stated it's crucial that she attend the Tokyo Olympics. Do you support that decision?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think we all need to lift our eyes a little bit here. The Olympics is the biggest sporting event on the planet. We have the opportunity to complete the bid on this Queensland- Brisbane, the Queensland- Australia's behalf for the 2032 Games, to bring the Olympics back to Australia for the third time. The Premier has been a really important part of that overall process, strongly supported by the Prime Minister and the Commonwealth government, and of course, the local council of mayors. I think we ought to be thinking about in 2032, when we- if we have the opportunity to open those Olympic Games, thinking back to the questions that we're asking now. This is an event that will bring billions of dollars of benefit to Australia. It will bring tens of thousands of jobs to the country, and appropriately, I think, put the global sporting spotlight on Australia if we can achieve that- the quest that we have. And so the Queensland Premier is an important part of that final pitch that we're going to make to the International Olympic Committee to try and achieve ‘32 games. And so I think we all ought to work together to bring together- to bring to Australia one of the greatest sporting events in the world, the biggest and most prestigious sporting event on the planet.

Question:

And as the Sports Minister, will you be going?

Richard Colbeck:

Finalisation of those arrangements are just being made at the moment. And I'll have some more to say about the next couple of days.

 

 

Close

Question:

Okay. The extra homecare packages that were announced in the budget, will that clear the waiting list?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that's the intention. So we're expecting that the waiting list will be down to 80,000 by the end of June, this financial year, and so, therefore, the rollout of the additional 80,000 packages - 40,000 a year over the next two years - will clear the waiting list. And of course, during the period of those packages being rolled out, we’ll reform the delivery of care at home and have the homecare system in place by the time we get to the commencement of 2023.

Question:

So, what's the biggest hurdle in rolling out these packages? Why can't we do it instantly?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it needs to be done safely. And so building the capacity of the homecare sector is going to be an important part of that. We’ve grown the delivery of homecare packages by about 40,000 packages a year over the last two or three years - the industry seems to be able to manage that. But it provides- it does provide a workforce challenge, so, we have to build the workforce with the delivery of new packages into the system, and we think that we can safely do that at the rate that we're providing the new packages into the system.

Question:

Will the demand for homecare packages increase in the ageing population?

Richard Colbeck:

We’re expecting that it will. So it's been growing at about 6 per cent per annum. But the significant investment that we've been making over recent years has been bringing the waiting list down. At the end of May this year, the waiting list was about 84,800. And we’re still offering new packages to the rate of about 1200 a week. So that's why we believe that we'll get down to the 80,000 waiting list by the end of June this year.

Question:

And so far since the budget announcement, does that- does it seem to be on track, the amount of packages that are being issued so far since the announcement?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the packages in the budget and start being rolled out from 1 July. But the previous announcements that we've made - and we've injected $5.5 billion in new packages since the 18-19 budget into new homecare packages - so, 60- the 83,000 packages over that period of time; and of course, another $6.5 billion for another 80,000 packages over the next two years - so, that's close to $12 billion that we've injected into new homecare packages since the 18-19 budget, which I think is a clear demonstration of our intent to provide capacity into the system and ensure that those that want to be cared for at home can be cared for at home.

Question:

How do you determine who receives them first?

Richard Colbeck:

So, the packages are assessed- the residents- the people are assessed by ACAT assessors that are largely part of the state health system. So, the delivery of homecare packages is based on an assessed need by health professionals, and then people are offered either, at this stage, a level 1, 2 or 3 package based on their assessed level of need.

Question:

And are the residents who are the highest need, are they being assured that they will receive their packages perhaps sooner than those who don’t need them as much?

Richard Colbeck:

Those that are assessed as being of high level need do get a priority. So there's two levels - high priority and medium level priority. And so those that are assessed at a higher level of priority do get priority as far as the delivery of packages. But of course, the intent of the investment that we're making is to ensure that people can get a package as soon as possible - and the aspiration that we’ve set for ourselves there is within 30 days.

Question:

What do you say- we’ve heard many cases of people waiting years for a homecare package; some having passed away whilst waiting. What do you say to those families? Where has the system gone wrong in those cases?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it's basically been a matter of growth in demand, and then the capacity of the system. But that's why we've invested, as I’ve said, it's close to $12 billion since the 18-19 budget that we've invested in the system. When we came into Government in 2013 there were about 60,000 packages in the system. By July of 2023 there’ll be over 275,000 packages in the system - so that's a huge growth. Prime Minister Morrison has been very, very focussed on this personally over a period of time, and so has the Government - and that's why we've seen significant investment. It's a lot of money, close to $12 billion dollars since the 18-19 budget to ensure there is capacity in the system so that people who want to be cared for at home can be.

Question:

And where is the- where are the extra workers is coming from to help roll this out?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think that's one of the big employment opportunities that exists across the country, because we have to recruit and train new workforce. And of course, part of the budget package that we had was over $652 million in new training programs and support for- to grow the workforce. So the opportunities that exist for someone who's looking for a career in the caring sector, certainly exists in the context of the delivery of home care. And the sector has largely managed that pretty well, that growth rate over recent years, and I'm sure that they'll continue to be out there recruiting and training new people so that they can build the capacity of their system so that they can be part of the delivery of these new packages.

Question:

What happens if we don’t make those recruitment goals?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think we will. I don't look at that pessimistically - I think that we will meet those recruitment goals. It's- I think it's a valuable career, and I've seen, and the sector has seen that that recruitment there, and I think that will continue.

Question:

Is there a concern, though, that people might be deterred because of the low pay? It's quite strenuous work to meet the demand for workers that [indistinct] to meet over this time. Is a concern of that may not meet it?

Richard Colbeck:

No. Look, I think that we will meet the demand. I think that there's a strong culture out there of people who are looking to move into the care sector more generally. There'll be competition for those people because there's growth in NDIS, and there's also going to be demand for people in the residential aged care sector, as well as in-home care. But it's- I think it's a good career. We're providing a lot of opportunities for training. And so I think those factors have been brought together, along with the work that the sector is doing - and the sector is doing some really good work at the moment with respect to its recruiting and its own training programs - I think that we will meet the demand. We have done over recent years, so I don't see any reason why we won't in the future.

Question:

Can you guarantee that no more people will die waiting for a home care package?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I'd like to be able to make that guarantee, but some people are going to pass away while they're going through their assessment process, or while they're waiting - I mean, that's an unfortunate fact, I suppose. So I can't make that guarantee - I'd like to be able to. But the objective of the Government, and I think it's clearly demonstrated by the investment - $12 billion over- since the 18-19 budget, it's a huge amount of money and a significant increase in the number of home care packages - it clearly shows the intent of the Government to provide capacity for people to be cared for at home.

Question:

So, what do you hope your legacy will be in this portfolio over this period?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think the implementation of the generational reforms that we've announced as part of our response to the royal commission, and the investment of $17.7 billion in the budget. I mean, the redesign of the system is one of those rare opportunities that a minister might get, and so my role in ensuring that we put in place an aged care system - not just the various elements, but an aged care system that provides high quality care for senior Australians wherever they are in the country is the thing that I look forward to. It's been a very difficult period over the time of the royal commission, and particularly during COVID last year, but we now have the opportunity to implement those significant reforms, and I'm looking forward to the work involved in doing that.

Question:

Excellent. Thank you so much.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks.

Close

 

E&OE...

Fran Kelly:

Victoria's COVID outbreak has again exposed the critical fault lines running through the country's residential aged care system. One elderly resident and two aged care workers have tested positive to COVID-19, forcing four nursing homes now to be placed either on high alert or lockdown altogether.

The Morrison Government is seeking advice on whether to mandate COVID vaccines for all staff, while it's under pressure to explain why it lifted a ban on the employees working at multiple facilities, which was imposed last year following more than 650 deaths in Victorian aged care homes. But experts say the horse has bolted and the main culprit is the slow rollout of vaccination across the sector.

[Excerpt]

Kathy Eager:

I think this was 100 per cent predictable. This was a disaster waiting to happen as soon as we missed the first COVID vaccination deadline. From that point on, it was a time bomb waiting to happen.

[End of excerpt]

Fran Kelly:

That's Professor Kathy Eager from Wollongong University who warns the nursing home time bomb could happen anywhere in the country.

Richard Colbeck is the Minister for Aged Care, joins me in the Parliament House studio. Minister, welcome back to Breakfast.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Fran.

Fran Kelly:

Can I just get an update first on the numbers? As of this morning, how many aged care staff have tested positive?

Richard Colbeck:

As far as I'm aware, we're still at the same numbers as we had yesterday. So, it's just the two. I haven't had any updates on figures overnight, but I don't believe that there's any change from yesterday.

Fran Kelly:

And residents?

Richard Colbeck:

That's the same as well. So, there's no change from yesterday, as far as I'm aware so far …

Fran Kelly:

[Talks over] So, one resident?

Richard Colbeck:

… I haven't seen- I haven't seen any further data out of Victoria. We generally don't see that until it becomes public.

Fran Kelly:

Minister, when the aged-care rollout began in February, the Government promised it would be finished in six weeks. That was Easter. We're now in June. The program is still not complete. Is Victoria now paying the price of the Federal Government's failure to do what it said it would do in terms of protecting the most vulnerable?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, of course, Fran, we did have to reset the rollout for a couple of reasons. One, with respect to staff, because the advice that we had based on international experience was not to vaccinate staff and residents at the same time. So, we then prioritised the residents in aged care facilities …

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] That should have made it even quicker not slower for the residents.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, not necessarily. You still have to go-

Fran Kelly:

[Talks over] You’ve still got a couple of homes not done.

Richard Colbeck:

You still have to go into over 2500 aged care facilities across the country, spread to the four corners of the nation. You still have to get the frozen Pfizer vaccines to those facilities. And of course, coordinating that with all of the other circumstances that occur within a facility, set up a clinic within each site, on each occasion twice. And we've done that for over 70 per cent of the facilities now. So, it's a huge logistical exercise. I think the officials that have coordinated it with the sector, the sector themselves and the providers who have been providing the service to us have done a really good job …

Fran Kelly:

[Talks over] Okay.

Richard Colbeck:

… to be where we are now.

Fran Kelly:

So, let me just be clear on that, with the residents. We're three months into the rollout. A quarter of aged care facilities across the country haven't received their second jabs. In Victoria, it's more than a third. Victoria, a small state in terms of geography - in geographical terms. That state is dealing now with the strain proving to be more infectious and faster spreading, which underscores the need for both doses. Are you telling me the Federal Government is happy? There's no longer a supply issue, you're happy with the pace of the rollout?

Richard Colbeck:

We have been working to maintain a level of pace of the rollout all the way through. We wanted to get it done as quickly as possible before winter. So, we're comfortable about where we're at. Could- everybody would have liked to have done it faster, but logistically, we've done it as quickly as we possibly could. And, except for a few in a couple of states, all of the facilities have received their first dose. And most - 70 per cent odd have received their second dose, which provides- the first dose, providing a level of protection for all of the residents that are received and decided to take up the vaccine. And the take up rate was about 85 per cent on average across the country.

Fran Kelly:

So, you're comfortable with where it's at? I mean, this Victorian outbreak has given a real sense of urgency to finally get it done. Here you are, the Aged Care Minister, saying you're comfortable with where it's at. We had the Deputy Prime Minister, we’ve had other senior ministers saying just a few days ago, it's not a race. The race is on now, Minister, isn't it?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, obviously, we've made Victoria a priority at the moment, just as we did in Queensland when there was an outbreak earlier in this year …

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] And what does that mean? You put a rocket up the providers who are rolling out this vaccine?

Richard Colbeck:

No. Look, I don't think that's fair, Fran. What we did was we moved capacity into the areas where there was community transmission in Queensland earlier in the year. And we finalised all of those doses, those first doses within a week. And so, that's what we've done in Victoria at the moment. We've made sure that we got through those last few providers that hadn't been vaccinated. And we've also provided the opportunity for residents who said they didn't want to take up a vaccine the first time around, we'll come back and we'll give you a second opportunity. And there's quite a few who have taken that up.

So, it's dealt with a couple of things. One, it's prioritised that area in the circumstance where we've had an outbreak, just as we did in Queensland earlier in the year, to get those vaccinations - first doses finalised, which does provide a level of protection. And fortunately, the two residents that have been infected, both have been vaccinated and they're both, at this point in time, asymptomatic, which is good news. We just hope that that continues.

Fran Kelly:

Can I just clear something up? There's two residents infected now?

Richard Colbeck:

There's a second resident that we weren't sure about. We're waiting to hear back as to- it was, what you might call a weak positive. So that resident has been retested. I haven't seen the results on that at this point in time. But that resident and the resident who's- who has tested positive conclusively, are both asymptomatic and the resident who has conclusively tested positive has been moved to a- to hospital.

Fran Kelly:

And just to finish off on this timeline, when does the Government say that all residents who are prepared to have a vaccination, we understand there is a proportion, you say might be around 15 per cent who don't want to, but will have had their second dose? When will that-what's that timeline?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, all of those will flow three weeks behind their first dose. So, that’s the cycle …

Fran Kelly:

[Talks over] So, what’s that timeline? When’s the – three weeks from last week.

Richard Colbeck:

… So, in Victoria, the second doses in Commonwealth managed facilities will be finalised in three weeks. In state run facilities, it'll be a bit longer because they switched to the AstraZeneca vaccine when they were doing their rollout, which means that their second doses will be completed sometime during July.

Fran Kelly:

Okay. Residents will remain at risk for as long as the staff who look after them are unvaccinated. That's how COVID got inside the nursing homes last year, in last year's deadly wave, which we all remember too well. How many aged care workers across the country have received their first dose and how many have received their second?

Richard Colbeck:

So, it's about just under 40,000 have received two doses. So, we've delivered about …

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] Across the country?

Richard Colbeck.

Across the country - that we're aware of, bearing in mind that we now have five channels for aged care workers to receive vaccinations because of the advice or the two pieces of advice. One, not to vaccinate the residents and the staff at the same time. And the second that people 50 and over should be given AstraZeneca and people under 50 shouldn't.

So, there are a number of channels. Firstly, they can go to their GP for those that are over 50, they can go to a state-run Pfizer clinic or one of the Commonwealth Government's GP respiratory clinics. We have a request for tender out with- an open request for tender out with aged care providers. They can apply to us to run their own clinics within aged care facilities. So, there are a range of different options that are available for staff. And we're asking the aged care providers who hold the data to report that information back to us.

So, we, at this point, don't have that consolidated and we've asked- so that we can make it easy for aged care providers and not burden them with too much additional costs, we've asked them to report that alongside their flu vaccination data.

Fran Kelly:

Okay. So just to be clear, you have really no idea how many aged care staff are vaccinated right now?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we don't have the consolidated data because the …

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] Is anyone collecting the data at this moment?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that's- that's what I've just said to you, Fran. We've asked the providers to advise us alongside their flu vaccination data so that they can do those two things together, because the systems more broadly don't record occupation, the AIR data. So, all of the vaccinations will actually be recorded in our vaccination systems, but it doesn't go to the level of granularity that details whereabouts your work.

Fran Kelly:

How can we have a failsafe vaccination program in aged care if we don't know how many of the staff are vaccinated?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that’s why we’ve asked the providers…

Fran Kelly:

[Talks over] But too late.

Richard Colbeck:

… that hold that data- no, I don’t agree Fran. We’ve had to reset this whole program because of the health advice that we’ve received. The staff have a number of channels to receive the vaccine, and it is quite reasonably the work- the aged care providers who hold that data, so we’ve asked them to provide it. Some of them are already recording that on our systems, but at this point in time it’s not complete enough for us to be able to provide [indistinct].

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] Will it be compulsory for them to do that?

Richard Colbeck:

We will be asking them to do it…

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] [Inaudible]…

Richard Colbeck:

… compulsory (*) alongside their flu vaccine recording information.

Fran Kelly:

Okay. So, when you say there’s a number of channels that staff can go to, that’s one way of saying it’s up to the staff to figure it out. I mean, when you- the government announced that aged care was top priority, that include work staff and- residents and stuff. The implication was that you would be rolling out the vaccine to those staff. As it turns out, staff were left to their own devices.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, not completely, because we also, as I've mentioned to you Fran, have a request for tender for providers to conduct their own in-reach program. Some providers have already done that.

Fran Kelly:

How many? What proportion have been vaccinated right now? You say around 40,000 aged care workers. Sally McManus told us earlier from the ACTU they estimate only 15 per cent of the workforce has been immunised.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, as I said, I'm not going to give you a number that I'm not certain. I've given you the details of the information that I have and those that are- those are the workforce members who have been vaccinated with vaccines alongside residents as a part of the resident rollout process. Where there's been a vaccine left over, we've said provided it to staff. So-

Fran Kelly:

Okay. It’s pretty haphazard though, isn't it? If there's vaccine left over, give it to the staff. Otherwise staff, you go out and find somewhere to have a vaccine like everyone else. We don’t know who’s had a jab and we’re going to try set that up now.

Richard Colbeck:

[Interrupts] Well, no, Fran- it’s- no, it’s actually sensible utilisation of the vaccine. So where there's capacity-

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] Of course it is, yes.

Richard Colbeck:

So, we don't want to be wasting vaccine so we've used the vaccine that's left available to vaccinate staff appropriately within the facilities. But the circumstances that we found ourselves in, particularly with the advice not to mix a vaccine- a Pfizer clinic, for example, with an AstraZeneca clinic, because we didn't want any confusion with respect to the actual process of vaccination, given that they are very different vaccines and there are very different vaccination processes. The most effective way for us to provide access to vaccines for staff was through their GP, through the GP respiratory clinics, through the state Pfizer clinics and of course, the opportunity for providers themselves to conduct clinics within facilities.

Fran Kelly:

Minister, if it's mandatory in most aged care homes for staff to have a flu shot, why isn’t it mandatory for them to have a COVID shot?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it's actually not mandatory in all states for staff to have flu vaccination. That's dependent on state health orders. And not all states have made that mandatory this year.

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] Do you think it should be mandatory?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that’s a health- that's a matter for health advice. It's not a matter for me to make advice. And we asked at the outset, the AHPPC and ATAGI, whether or not it should be made mandatory because we didn't understand properly- the health authorities didn't understand properly whether or not the vaccine prevented transmission. It was decided at that point in time not to make it mandatory. And of course, the government's now asked ATAGI and the AHPPC to reconsider that advice - I think, appropriately. We always said that we would keep it under consideration.

Fran Kelly:

Actually, fairly, wouldn't be able to make it mandatory until you've got the rollout under control, would you? I mean, if only 15 per cent of the staff are vaccinated, you'd have a real problem with your workforce.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the critical matter, Fran, in making it mandatory or not is whether or not it prevents transmission. It needs- there needs to be a medical reason for it to occur. At the outset, we didn't understand properly because there wasn't enough data-

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] [Indistinct] was a long time ago now.

Richard Colbeck:

Well- and look, this has been something that we've maintained under review with the-

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] But with no urgency, Minister. That's what people- I mean, where's the urgency in we need to work out how to get this workforce vaccinated; we need to collect the data so we know how many vaccinated; we need to know whether to be thinking about as a matter of urgency, whether we should vaccinate this workforce.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the vaccination of the workforce and the compulsory nature or not has been consistently under review through AHPPC and ATAGI. The Minister has gone back and asked- made a specific request this week to consider it again. But it's something that's been under consideration all the way through. And it's based on the data about what the vaccine will do. Whether or not it will prevent transmission of the virus, there are still some questions about that.

Fran Kelly:

Okay.

Richard Colbeck:

The outbreak in Singapore, for example, started with vaccinated workforce at the border. So there are still some questions around whether or not the vaccine effectively prevents transmission. We know that you'll still catch the virus if you have been vaccinated. So, there's still things that we're learning. And so whether or not we make something like this compulsory is a serious question and it needs to be properly considered based on the health advice.

Fran Kelly:

Another serious question is the big driver of infections in nursing home staff moving one from facility to another, holding multiple jobs. We know that was a major problem and contributing factor. Last time around, the government changed the guidelines then to make it effectively banning workers moving between facilities. Why was that ban lifted in November?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it wasn't a ban, Fran. What happened was that the Victorian Government came to us with a proposal because they didn't want to put in place a public health order to restrict the number of people who are working across sites. We supported that and we funded it. So the single worker single site proposal was put in place. It's been activated four times in Victoria now, it hadn't been working continuously-

Fran Kelly:

[Talks over] Why was it lifted at the end of- after the outbreak last year? Why was it lifted?

Richard Colbeck:

It is activated by the declaration of a hot spot automatically. So, if a hot spot is declared by the medical authorities based on community transmission, that activates the single worker single site proposal.

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] And- sorry to interrupt. But is it automatically deactivated when that hot spot definition is gone, or is that an order from the Minister?

Richard Colbeck:

At this point in time, we've activated it for a fortnight. It's been activated four times in Victoria, once in New South Wales and twice in Queensland, and in each of those circumstances based on the declaration of a hotspot. But the other side of the equation is that it's actually not legal to limit somebody's capacity to work. In fact, the Health Services Union took an aged care provider to the Fair Work Commission in March last year in New South Wales, and success- was successful in that case against an aged care provider who wanted to themselves implement a single worker policy. So, it's actually against the law. It's been managed in some states by public health orders, but the system that we're utilising now was brought to us by the Victorian government because we both needed to maintain some flexibility in workforce during the pandemic to maintain capacity rather than using public health orders. And we’ve subsequently utilised the system across other jurisdictions as well to assist us and to support aged care providers to limit the movement of workforce during periods of community transmission.

Fran Kelly:

Just to be clear, though, it's activated by the public declaration of a hotspot…

Richard Colbeck:

[Talks over] Correct.

Fran Kelly:

… is it deactivated when that definition of a hotspot is lifted or is there is a government message that goes out saying: don't do that anymore? That money’s not there anymore for you?

Richard Colbeck:

No, at this point we've activated it for a period of two weeks. We don't know the-

Fran Kelly:

[Talks over] But did you deactivate it in November or did that lapse?

Richard Colbeck:

It was activated for a period. And at the end of that period, with the removal of the hotspot, it was lifted.

Fran Kelly:

Minister, we are into what's looking like a very troubling situation in Victoria. We have potentially two residents infected; two aged care workers. Are you satisfied with the job the Federal Government has done on aged care and keeping our older residents safe? Are you satisfied?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I'm extremely concerned about the situation in Victoria right now. Unfortunately, when there's community transmission, this is a risk we will face. It’s shown clearly by the statistics in every other circumstance. We have and we continue to do everything we possibly can to support aged care and aged care residents to keep them safe. That's why we prioritised aged care residents as a part of the vaccination process. That's why when we had to reset the rollout for staff, we provided a number of channels to make it as easy as possible for staff to access a vaccination. And very pleasingly, the Victorian Government at this point in time has opened up a priority channel for aged care workforce in their clinics. So everybody's working assiduously to provide as much support as they possibly can to ensure the safety of residents in residential aged care. And of course, we've already started the process of implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission. We introduced legislation into the parliament last week to start the process to implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission.

Fran Kelly:

Minister, thank you very much for joining us.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Fran.

Fran Kelly:

Richard Colbeck is the minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services.

Close

E&OE...

Richard Colbeck:

Morning everybody.

Question:

How are you?

Richard Colbeck:

I’ll tell you at 11 o’clock tonight… or perhaps tomorrow night.

Question:

Can we just start with some questions?

Richard Colbeck:

Sure.

Question:

So, why have there been some aged care workers working in multiple facilities in Victoria? Shouldn’t that have been stopped well and truly long ago?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, no. The Health Services Union actually took an aged care provider in New South Wales to the Fair Work Commission last year to challenge their imposition of one worker, one site provisions, and were successful. So it's actually illegal to inhibit how somebody earns a living, particularly somebody who's working in a casual circumstance. So what we've done is we’ve, in conjunction and cooperatively with the Victorian Government, instituted a one worker, one site program where once there's a hotspot declared by the Chief Medical Officer, automatically one worker, one site provisions are triggered, which assists providers to restrict the number of people who are working across sites. That process was established last year, as I said, at the suggestion, and cooperatively with the Victorian Government, so that they didn't have to put in place a public health order which restricted workforce, because we needed workforce to be able to move to actually manage the pandemic at the rate that it was in Victoria.

So we've used that measure across other states. It's been triggered four times in Victoria now, once in New South Wales during the Northern Beaches outbreak and once- and twice in Queensland. And it's triggered by the declaration of hotspot, when there is transmission in the community, appropriately. And of course, it runs for that period. At this point in time, it's been triggered for a period of two weeks, to support providers so that they can compensate a workforce for shifts that they don't work in other facilities.

Question:

But the state government is saying that it’s publicly run facilities have been under this rule for- since the last outbreak. What's the difference between private and public? Why can public state- run facilities do that and the private federal [indistinct]?

Richard Colbeck:

Well most of the privately run facilities are actually attached to a hospital. So their workforce agreements and their workforce systems are very different. But as I said, this proposal, this process was established jointly with the Victorian Government. We found that it worked very well in Victoria so we’ve utilised it across other jurisdictions. Other states have used public health orders to- South Australia, for example, have used public health orders to restrict workforce. But in Victoria, the process has been, so that we don't limit people's capacity to actually earn a living, which is illegal. We've had a process when there's a declared hotspot in the community, we've automatically triggered the one worker, one site provisions, which, as I said, assists providers to restrict- to compensate them, to compensate the workforce for not working across multiple sites.

Question:

Is there a risk, though, that when you're- if you're waiting for that declaration of a hotspot to be issued, that effectively the horse has already bolted? Community transmission is already at a stage where it could be getting into these aged care facilities through workers?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, whenever there's community transmission, there's a risk of COVID getting into aged care facilities. Aged care facilities are part of the community. We saw during the pandemic, during the second wave last year, that the rate of infection in residential aged care facilities directly tracked the rate of infection in the community. So, yes, you're right, it is a risk, but it's not legal. And I don't think it's right to restrict somebody's right to earn a living, particularly for some people who are given short, small shifts and they need to be able to have the capacity to earn a living. And as I said, the Health Services Union actually took an aged care provider who attempted to instigate their own one worker, one site provisions to the Fair Work Commission in March last year. So during the period of the pandemic, and was successful in that case. So, this is a matter of appropriately managing workforce. And clearly there are differences in the way that the workforces work between the public sector and the private sector. I think we all understand that. But not restricting people's right to earn a living is also a consideration.

Question:

But the point you make about earning a living, I mean, doesn't this issue all come back to the fact that people in aged care facilities, federal run ones, can't earn enough money doing those couple of shifts each week at one centre, therefore, they have to work at a couple others. Isn't the solution here, pay these people more? Isn't this the entire root of the problem, that they can't earn enough at one centre and they have to work across a couple of precincts.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, if you're only doing 20 hours a week, it doesn't- the rate of pay probably isn't so much of an issue, I think. I mean, you can increase the rate of pay, but you still might need to do- to work in more than one place to earn a living. We've seen this occur in other workforces as well. These people, a lot of this workforce, at their choice, are working shorter hours or have a couple of jobs. The way the aged care system works actually facilitates that sort of casual employment. Will that change? Should that change, is another question? And-

Question:

Do you think it should?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think at times of, of community infection like this, it's appropriate that we restrict the working across more than one site. And that's the- what we're facilitating through the one worker, one site arrangements that we have in place, which are triggered, as I’ve said, by the declaration of a hotspot by the Chief Medical Officer.

Question:

How about vaccinations? Should it be mandatory for aged care workers or any frontline workers to receive the vaccine?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that question is appropriately managed through advice from the AHPPC and ATAGI. And when we- this was first considered, when the vaccine became available, the medical advice to us was that it wasn't appropriate to make vaccinations mandatory. That advice has continuously been reconsidered. And, of course, Minister Hunt has spoken to the AHPPC and ATAGI and asked them to look at it again this week. But it has been under review continuously since the vaccines started, and it's most appropriately managed on health advice. The reason that we didn't make it compulsory in the first circumstance was because we didn't know whether the vaccine actually prevented transmission or not. Had it been- had we known that definitively, I think the answer may have been very different at the outset. It does, in some circumstance, limit transmission, but it doesn't prevent it in all circumstances. In fact, I'm aware of outbreaks in other jurisdictions globally, where outbreaks have occurred through fully vaccinated workforces. So that's a matter that's best decided by the health professionals. And we will seek that advice.

Question:

Even if it’s not 100 per cent perfect, what would you say to the families who have residents in these aged care facilities, that you're not forcing these vaccinations to be mandatory just because they don't stop transmission every single time? Wouldn't there be an expectation that when people are putting their elderly relatives into these sort of facilities, they get as much protection as is humanly possible?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it's absolutely appropriate that they get as much protection as humanly possible. But it's not a matter for a politician to make a decision on. That's a matter for the health authorities. It's been constantly under review since we've had vaccines available. And we continue to ask the question of the health authorities as to whether we should make it mandatory or not. It does have an impact on the workforce. It does have an impact on the staff. So it's a- it's an important question. It's a serious question. And it should be considered appropriately by the health authorities.

Question:

Min- well, the flip side of that, though, is I mean, obviously we're talking now about whether it should be mandatory. Workers are saying they can't actually access the vaccine. Yet, you spoke on RN just before about the workers in these centres kind of getting what the ANMF, the Nursing Midwifery Federation have called the scraps or the leftovers of what residents get when they get their in-reach visits. Why haven't there been more efforts done to actually vaccinate aged care workers in the homes that they work in, rather than ask them to go out and join the general queue, as thousands of people are trying to do right now?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, again, we've had to reset the rollout of vaccines based on a number of pieces of medical advice. Our initial plan was to vaccinate the workforce with the residents, and experience from overseas, particularly from the US, was that that shouldn't be done. So the health advice to us was don't vaccinate the workforce at the same time as the residents, particularly because of potential absences and impacts on capacity for providers to care when they've been vaccinated together. So we took the health advice not to do that. That meant that we had to reconsider the way that we were rolling the vaccine out to the staff. We then subsequently received the advice that we shouldn't be providing vaccine, the AstraZeneca vaccine, to people under 50. And so that meant that we had to reconsider it again, because the advice that we received was that we shouldn't be conducting clinics of both AstraZeneca and Pfizer at the same time, in the same place, because of the potential for mix ups and they’re very different types of vaccines that each of them- each of them are, and the different ways that they’re managed and delivered.

So we've taken the health advice and we've made it as easy as we possibly can for the workforce to access advice. So I completely reject the ANMF characterisation of giving the workforce the scraps. I think that's just a political argument that they're making. So we have a number of ways that providers, that the workforce can access the vaccine. Obviously, we've opened it up through the GPs, we've opened it up through state clinics, and the states have been really good in facilitating the vaccination for workforce. We've got the Commonwealth GP respiratory clinics and we also have an open request for tenders for providers to run their own clinics in conjunction with other health care providers within the facility. So there are a number of channels ...

Question:

But it’s been 14 weeks, so these people are still waiting for the vaccines. They were supposed to be in Phase 1A, the highest priority of vaccination.

Richard Colbeck:

[Interrupts] But they have had access to the vaccine through that process. But we've had to ...

Question:

[Interrupts] [Indistinct] rollout we've had to by this time…

Richard Colbeck:

So- and we've had to readjust the rollout based on health advice on a couple of occasions. A number of the staff have taken up the vaccine through all of those channels, which we're very pleased with. But some staff have chosen not to take it up as well. And not- and that's not a criticism, I have to say ...

Question:

How many staff have chosen not to take it up?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I'm not going to get into an argument and be in a circumstance of criticising the staff in this circumstance. I'm not going to do that.

Question:

But how many?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, the numbers of staff who have been vaccinated, we will receive that data from the providers ...

Question:

So you don’t know?

Richard Colbeck:

We’ve put in place a measure for the providers to report their staff vaccination [indistinct] alongside ...

Question:

[Interrupts] So how do you not know the numbers of people who have been vaccinated…

Richard Colbeck:

Well quite simply ...

Question:

…Yet seem to know the number of staff who are saying no?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I didn't say either of those things. So that's a complete mischaracterisation of what I said.

Question:

But you seem to know that staff members that are saying no.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, some people across the community have chosen not to be vaccinated. Some residents in aged care have chosen not to be ...

Question:

[Talks over] So what have you based the idea that staff are saying no on?

Richard Colbeck:

Because there are some people who have said they don't want to be vaccinated. And I've had communication from some staff who said that they don't want to be compulsorily vaccinated.

Question:

So why don’t you know how many staff have been vaccinated?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, let's get back to that point. So what we've done is we've established a process where the providers report to us in the same way that they report their flu vaccination data. It will- they will report to us their COVID-19 staff vaccination data. Because of the number of channels that the staff has available to them for vaccination, the broader systems, the AIR data that we have, which records the vaccinations. So each vaccination that's given is actually recorded on the national AIR system, but it doesn't record occupation. So we've said to the providers, can you give us that data alongside your flu vaccination data so that we're not imposing an undue additional burden on the [indistinct] ...

Question:

[Talks over] When did you first ask the providers for that data?

Richard Colbeck:

We've been in conversation with providers over that for a number of weeks now. Some providers are already voluntarily providing that information to us through our existing systems. And we will make it compulsory as a part of the process.

Question:

Surely after last year, shouldn’t you have been asking for this information as soon as the vaccine rollout was [indistinct]- having the mechanism in place, that as soon as the vaccine start, people are not telling you whether or not aged care workers have been vaccinated?

Richard Colbeck:

We have- we've continued to build all of the systems that have recorded this information. The AIR system is only here. So we've continued to build all of our information and all of our systems as both the rollout has been conducted, and as the system has been implemented.

Question:

It’s now June, though, how has this taken this long?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, initially, had we been able to do the rollout in the way that we proposed at the outset, which was to vaccinate staff and residents together, all of that information would have been recorded at the same time. So the systems were in place to do that. Once we received the health advice not to vaccinate staff and residents together, and then the advice to- with respect to AstraZeneca for people under 50, we've had to change the way that we’ve operated. And so, of course, we've had to build the systems to facilitate that.

Question:

When will it be compulsory to report that data to the Federal Government?

Richard Colbeck:

That piece of legislation is currently in the Parliament.

Speaker:

Last question.

Question:

You said last week you were very comfortable with the speed of the rollout, considering what we know from aged care in Victoria now – two- several workers, noting you said on RN that you didn't know of any more that had been infected today, hopefully no more. But are you still very comfortable with the speed of the rollout, and knowing what we know now about what’s happened in aged care?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I think it would be unreasonable of me to change my perspective based on the very, very unfortunate circumstances of last week. We set in place a process to get the residents vaccinated across the country. We set ourselves a program to achieve that. We're pretty much there. The second doses will roll out over the next three weeks to complete the vaccination of residents in aged care. It's been a significant logistical undertaking across the country. Over 2500 aged care facilities have had clinics set up [indistinct] twice to achieve this. So I'm very pleased with the work that my department have done, the providers have done to achieve that. It is a very, very significant logistical undertaking to match up the vaccination workforce, the frozen Pfizer vaccine in delivery to the facilities. It's a significant undertaking. I have to be satisfied with it. Am I surprised that people are saying it should have been done more quickly? Of course I'm not. There's a lot of politics in this. This has been a significant undertaking. And I think that the workforce and the team that have put it together have done a good job.

Question:

Speaking of politics, should Christian Porter face an independent inquiry after his defamation case was dropped, settled yesterday. There's more talk about that from Labor and the Greens today.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, again, they're making a political attack on Christian. He's a valued colleague of mine. I don't intend to get involved in any political commentary around his circumstance. I hope that he decides to recontest the next election. I think he should, he's got a lot to offer this country.

Thank you

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E&OE...

David Koch:

We were stunned by this yesterday and we tried to get to the bottom of what’s happening. Here's what we know - Federal Government is responsible for vaccinating 596 aged care facilities in Victoria. This time last week, 29 of those facilities had not received a single visit for vaccinations. As the Government came under pressure, though, the pace picked up. As of this week, all have been visited for dose one of the Pfizer vaccine. And out of those homes, 382 have had their second round of COVID shots.

The average consent rate for residents is 85 per cent. Meanwhile, the state-run facilities account for around 10 per cent of Victoria's nursing homes. All residents were offered their first dose by the end of April, with the second round of vaccinations underway now. The take-up rate for these residents was slightly higher at 85 to 90 per cent. So why has it taken so long to get much needed jabs into the arms of aged care residents and staff? And have we learnt anything from the COVID crisis that hit aged care homes just 12 months ago? To clear it all up I'm joined by the Aged Care Minister, Richard Colbeck.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Kochie.

David Koch:

Minister, it took some serious digging to get these figures. Are you embarrassed by how slow it has been to vaccinate our aged care facilities?

Richard Colbeck:

Well Kochie, we’ve visited over 2500 aged care facilities around Australia to provide our vaccinations, to offer vaccinations to 183,000 residents within those facilities. 70 per cent of them, we’ve been to them twice. It is a huge logistical exercise. We’ve completed the first round of doses, apart from just a few, inside 14 weeks. I think that's an exceptional effort, and as you’ve said, in Victoria, we’ve completed all of those facilities for the first dose, as has the Victorian Government. And both the Victorian Government and the Commonwealth government are yet to finalise the second doses in their facilities.

David Koch:

Okay. But Richard Colbeck, is that good enough? The Prime Minister got very emotional last year about the state of aged care facilities, and the vaccinations, all the infection rates there. He shed tears over it. It was our number one priority; we had to protect our most vulnerable. 14 weeks is way too long.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it’s a huge logistical exercise, Kochie, and-

David Koch:

[Interrupts] So?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it is.

David Koch:

[Interrupts] Doesn't matter.

Richard Colbeck:

I think that the providers that we've had working for us have done a really good job scheduling this, it's a very complex exercise to match up the vaccine deliveries, the vaccine workers, all of those across the country, working with providers, going into each facility twice to set up a vaccine clinic. It's a significant logistical exercise. I think the providers have done a really good job to do that…

David Koch:

[Talks over] I know. I know it’s a big logistical exercise.

Richard Colbeck:

…And it has been our number one priority.

David Koch:

But this is your number one priority. The Prime Minister shed tears over this. A lot of people are thinking they’re crocodile tears, because not even the workers in aged care facilities, which I thought were classed as frontline workers, had been vaccinated fully.

Richard Colbeck:

Well Kochie, we are all concerned about the circumstance, particularly in Victoria right now.

David Koch:

[Interrupts] I know, but they’re yours.

Richard Colbeck:

And we all know- and we’re- 

David Koch:

[Interrupts] They’re your facilities.

Richard Colbeck:

Well Kochie, and we- well we’re- and we are all concerned with respect to ensuring that we get the workforce vaccinated, and that's why we made them a priority, along with the residents. We had to change-

David Koch:

[Interrupts] [Indistinct] but it’s not mandatory. I thought it had to be mandatory.

Richard Colbeck:

Well that was to health advice, Kochie, and that's why we've asked the AHPPC and ATAGI to review the health advice with respect to mandatory vaccinations. And the reason it wasn't made mandatory, is because we didn't understand whether the vaccines would prevent transmission or not. Now, we understand more about that now. We were always going to reconsider the advice as we learnt more about the vaccine, how it worked. But we know that it doesn't prevent you from catching COVID-19, we know that for a fact. We know that it doesn't prevent transmission. It can minimise transmission.

David Koch:

But it cuts transmission.

Richard Colbeck:

That’s correct.

David Koch:

It cuts infection.

Richard Colbeck:

That’s correct.

David Koch:

So, you would’ve thought, just like hospital staff, that aged care staff would be front-line. And you would’ve thought the rules to stop aged care staff from working on multiple facilities, which was the rule until November, would have continued. Why was that rule dropped? Why was it changed?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the arrangements for single worker, single site were actually arrangements that we negotiated with the Victorian Government so that they didn't have to put in place public-health orders to ban that, so that we could maintain flexibility and workforce flows during the outbreak, last year. Some other states did put in place public-health orders to prevent that.

David Koch:

But why did you overturn it in November?

Richard Colbeck:

Because- well, a couple of reasons, Kochie. One, it's not legal to limit somebody around their working circumstances, in fact, the Health Services Union took Huntington's aged care in New South Wales to the Fair Work Commission last year to stop them from implementing one worker, one site, and they were successful.

David Koch:

[Talks over] Okay. But you were paying them extra to compensate.

Richard Colbeck:

That’s correct.

David Koch:

And then you stopped those payments.

Richard Colbeck:

So, [audio skip] arrangement in place, in the circumstance where there was community transmission and a declared hotspot. That declaration has been made four times in Victoria, twice in Queensland, and once in New South Wales. So that when there is community transmission, aged care providers can limit the number of workers who are working in more than one site.

David Koch:

Okay. But why wouldn’t you have kept it going until every aged care facility was fully vaccinated?

Richard Colbeck:

Because the health advice that we had was to put it in place while there was a hotspot, and that's what we've done.

David Koch:

What, you didn't think it would come back? You didn't think aged care facilities would be vulnerable again, and particularly coming into winter?

Richard Colbeck:

Well Kochie, there is always the risk where there’s community transmission of COVID-19 in aged care. That's the facts, that's what the statistics showed us. And that's why when there’s a hotspot declared, it is automatically- it automatically triggers the one worker, one site process. So as soon as there is a hotspot triggered by the health authorities, the one worker, one site provisions are triggered by that process.

David Koch:

[Interrupts] So once it comes back and starts ramping up, then we go, oh, we’ll bring that rule back.

Richard Colbeck:

Once there is COVID in the community, as there is in Victoria right now, the declaration of a hotspot automatically triggers the one worker, one site provisions.

David Koch:

Okay. Richard Colbeck, lots of questions, and I'm not sure everyone’s happy with all the answers, but appreciate your time. Thank you.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Kochie.

Close

E&OE...

Martin Agatyn:

Recently there was a thing called the aged care system navigation trial, the results of those have been released now and I guess the first question is probably just to explain what that was all about before we talk about the results.

Richard Colbeck:

Well one of the things that we found or had reported to us from people who were looking to move into the aged care system was how complex it was, and is, and then of course that created issues for them working their way through it. So we funded some trials back in 18/19 Budget to see whether or not some Government assisted, or Government supported navigators would actually make things easier for people as they tried to make their way through or navigate their way through the system. Clearly we are trying to make our way through the system simpler as well but that’s the genesis of it and as a part of that trial we obviously we wanted to do an assessment of what was happening, how effective the navigators might be and that report is what we released last week.

Martin Agatyn:

Okay, so what does that report say?

Richard Colbeck:

Well it effectively indicated that senior Australians do benefit from having support, we contracted the Council On The Ageing, COTA, to work across the country, they had thirty partner organisations as well as Service Australia working with the trials and the report has come back in a very similar vein to make recommendations from the Royal Commission and actually indicating there was a good case for system navigators or assistance for people that was operating face to face across the country to help people work their way through and into the aged care system.

Martin Agatyn:

Yeah I am aware of something similar that the Cancer Council used to do, they used to have a position called a nurse navigator and when someone gets diagnosed with cancer they’ve got to see all sorts of people and really if you’ve got someone that can help you through the system who, whether it’s health or whether it’s aged care I think it’s a good thing.

Richard Colbeck:

Well that’s right and that’s why we have announced funding as part of the budget to introduce a network across the country, 500 local community care finders to specifically help with this so a) supported by the findings of the report that we’ve done through the trials but also recommended by the Royal Commission nearly $94 million that’s been announced as part of the budget to support that and it’s all part of the overall reforms to the aged care sector that we’re implementing off the back of the Royal Commission and announced through the budget.

Martin Agatyn:

In the budget you also announced there would be increased Home Care Packages and we’re not sure how the breakdown of those will be, what level they are, but one of the things that came out of the Royal Commission was that there doesn’t appear to be enough transparency in the pricing and the cost of these Home Care pricing packages.

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah and look I think that we may have talked about this before that people were concerned too much of the package was being eaten up in overhead costs, fees and charges. I’ve been concerned about that as well, so we’ve instigated processes to make that more visible from the 1^st July 2019 where providers were required to publish their fees and charges and prices on our My Aged Care website, but we are increasing that transparency and we are also doing some review work and providing additional capacity for the quality and safety commission to look more closely at those fees and charges. We want to see as much as possible of the tax payer dollars that we are putting into Home Care Packages and we’ll be getting close to 280,000 Home Care Packages once we have finished rolling out the packages that we have in the budget. We want to make sure as much of that money is going to the provision of care of people who are living in their homes as possible, so we are increasing the transparency, making it possible for them to compare providers via the website so they can shop around and of course as part of that work, we are also developing a star rating system so that that provides again more visibility but a more simple way to compare the performance of home care providers which includes their pricing.

Martin Agatyn:

You mentioned a couple of times there the My Aged Care website and I was thinking to myself this would be a good way for the navigator person to help someone to navigate through the website because that could be a bit daunting to someone that hasn’t grown up with computers and technology, so those navigator positions, will they come to home care packages or will they have to get the packages first, because it seems like a bit of a catch twenty two to me.

Richard Colbeck:

No they will be available as people start coming into the system, so they will be able to facilitate people including through the process of application, so it might be that you’re looking for a CHSP or a Home Care Package or even just looking at what you want to do in entering into aged care. We understand particularly in some of those circumstances that people are at a time of crisis, so somebody who is able to help guide them through the various elements of the system, quite at a face to face level quite often can be extremely valuable, for those that are comfortable with and working their way through the systems that are available online.

Martin Agatyn:

Yeah well by the time I’m old enough to require aged care I think I’ll be okay, technologically speaking but for people who are older than us it os a struggle sometimes.

Richard Colbeck:

It is and hopefully the re-design of the system, bearing in mind we are re-designing the at home care system are making significant reforms to the residential aged care sector, it will be simpler. That’s one way of the objectives in the redesign of the system, but it also interacts for example with the interaction of the system, some of that can be complicated when you’re looking at people’s income and assets and those sorts of things, so when you pull them together, that’s where it starts to get difficult, so someone to help work your way through those sorts of things is where we found some real value.

Martin Agatyn:

It sounds like it’s going to be a good thing and if you could take off your Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Minister’s hat and put your Sport Minister’s hat on, we’re going to launch a bid to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup?

Richard Colbeck:

That’s right, I was in Sydney a week or so ago for the official launch of the bid and it’s one of the big global sporting events, they claim it’s in the top three but it’s still a big event. We last hosted the Rugby World Cup in 2003 which is when I had my introduction to playing rugby, it was a great tournament that we played as part of the parliamentary world cup and I think a lot of people would remember that last agonising few seconds of the 2003 World Cup where Johnny Wilkinson kicked a field goal and England defeated Australia in the final-

Martin Agatyn:

Yeah I don’t follow the Rugby and I can remember that, that’s how big it was-

Richard Colbeck:

Well the Wallabies is one of Australia’s, you know, favourite teams, particularly when they are playing well and we’re coming up to some big international events right now and people know who the Wallabies are, they like to follow them, they love to see them being successful and the opportunity again as we’ve talked on a number of occasions to see the best teams in the world playing on Australian soil is a huge one, it will do a lot for the game, and it doesn’t matter what sport it is, we want to see people being active and participating and we’ve been very active in trying to bring major sporting events to Australia and in fact we’ve been pretty successful in recent times in achieving that.

Martin Agatyn:

And of course, by then the pandemic will be well and truly over, we’ll have lots of business coming over as well and they bring lots of money with them, so these sorts of events are good for the economy.

Richard Colbeck:

Well the Rugby World Cup is projected to bring over 200,000 visitors in from the international market, generating something in the order of $2 billion dollars, which is an enormous amount of money and 13,000 full time equivalent jobs, so it really does have a significant presence and as I said it does add to the golden decade if you like that we are starting to build at the moment with events that we know we already have, we have a considerable number already starting with the men’s T20 World Cup, for cricket next year,  the FIBA Women’s World Cup for basketball next year, the UCI Road Championships, cycling, the Virtus Games for intellectual impairment again next year,  the World Transplant Games in 2023, the FIFA Women’s World Cup which is another really big one in 2023, Canoe Slalom World Championships in ’25 and the Netball World Cup in 2027, so there is a decent list there and of course we are hoping that we are successful for the ’32 Games so we could potentially have a significant runway of great events-

Martin Agatyn:

[Interrupts]

I like the way you coin that, a golden decade of international sport in Australia, that’s terrific.

Richard Colbeck

Well it’s great for people to be able to see the best of the best operate and competing here in Australia, we know we do these major sporting events exceptionally well and we are recognised for that around the world, so we are putting our best foot forward for a number of those, we’ve clearly been successful with a few and if we can add the Rugby World Cup to the list in 2027 then that just adds to the opportunity to bring people to Australia, to take advantage of the economic benefits, but see some great sporting events at the same time.

Martin Agatyn:

More icing on what’s already a very big cake by the sounds of it, Richard thanks very much for your time, as always, I appreciate it and I’ll talk to you again in a couple of weeks.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much Martin

Close

E&OE...

Question:

Minister, how come, 30 around about, we know about 29 aged care homes in Victoria have not received a single vaccine?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we've been working methodically through the vaccination process around the country. We've done nearly 2600 providers across Australia in about 12 or 13 weeks, which I think is a great effort. It's a significant logistical effort to get to all of those residents, 183,000 residents of aged care. And so we've continued to work across those. We have obviously prioritised those that are remaining in Victoria to get them completed. But I'm very comfortable with the rollout of the vaccination across the country. About 85 per cent of residents across Australia have taken up the vaccine. And it's been a significant logistical effort.

Question:

But are you comfortable with only 58 per cent of the aged care population being vaccinated?

Richard Colbeck:

No. The population across the country, the population is vaccinated-

Question:

[Interrupts] Victoria, 58 per cent.

Richard Colbeck:

In some providers, it's lower than 85, and it varies in aged care providers across the country. The average is 85 per cent that have taken it up, which is great. I was in a facility last week where it was 95, but this is not compulsory-

Question:

But in Victoria where there’s an outbreak, 58 per cent.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it's a matter of choice for the residents to take up and give consent to take the vaccine. We've gone back to all of those providers, particularly in those areas that are localised to the outbreak to see if the residents would like to take up a vaccine now. So we've given them a second choice, and I think that's appropriate. Some of them are taking it up. Some have said, no, we don't want the vaccine. So it's a matter of choice for these residents. We offer them the choice in the first circumstance, a proportion of them took it up. Some decided they didn't want to. But we've gone back, given the changed circumstances, said would you like to change your mind? Would you like to have a vaccine?

Question:

If our most vulnerable, our aged care residents are not taking up vaccines, isn't that on the government to do more? You obviously haven't done enough to reassure them or their families that there's a need to get the vaccine, that it's safe.

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I would be quite concerned at the level of complacency with respect to vaccination around the country that we've seen in recent times. And if you look at what's happening in Victoria, the number of people who took up the vaccine in Victoria has doubled over from the day before. So certainly, hesitancy and complacency are an issue, but the government has always maintained that the most important thing that we can do is to get vaccinated. We vaccinated residents in aged care first, we offered them vaccination in residential aged care first because they were the most vulnerable. And across the country, 85 per cent of them have taken it up. But it is their choice. It is their choice. And that's important. We have consistently said that we have at this point two vaccines. We've provided all the information available to us to convince people that they are safe. People have made their choices. We've offered now in residential aged care, in particular, a second opportunity to take up the vaccine and some people are taking it.

Question:

But it shouldn't have taken an outbreak to get to this stage, should it? To offer them a second aged care- vaccine or another chance at it? Isn't the whole idea that you should’ve been trying to prevent this from the start?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think we need to just step back from this a little bit and consider people being able to make their own choices. They've done that. And we've gone back to them and said, are you sure? Would you like to take the vaccine? Well, I think that's ...

Question:

[Interrupts] Why not do that at the start though? Why wait until an outbreak to do that?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we've been to every provider and every resident in the country and said here's the opportunity to take up a COVID-19 vaccine. Each one of those people has provided consent for being vaccinated, or they've said no, we don't want to be vaccinated. I think that we need to be able to say- to trust them to make those choices. They are their choices. It's we- I don't think- I don't believe we should be looking to compel people where we don't need to. So these people have made a considered choice, or their family representative has made a considered choice for them. And in the circumstance that we see now, we've been back and we've offered them a second opportunity to say whether they want to vaccine or not. I don't see that we do anymore.

Question:

Minister, there will be a lot of people wondering how we've got this far in the pandemic and there are still those 29 facilities that haven't received a single dose. Why specifically is that and why are they at the bottom of the list?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we've worked aggressively through the 2600-odd providers in the country on an ongoing basis with a number of teams of vaccinators. There are some providers who have put back their vaccine dates so that the residents can get flu vaccinations, for example. So we've worked with the providers to schedule them over the last 12 or 13 weeks to get them vaccinated. It is a huge logistical effort to ensure that the vaccines get there, vaccination teams get there, and the department and the vaccination teams have done a great job. It's not an overnight exercise. It needs to be done safely and aggressively, which is exactly what we've done. And we will have all of those providers done very quickly. And, of course, as I said a number of times, we’ll prioritise those remaining ones in Victoria and we should have all of the providers around the country done within the next week or so.

Question:

But isn't this an example because you knew this time of year will be bad, going into the flu season, you knew it was most likely be worse and similar to what it was last year. Shouldn't there have been an emphasis on trying to get specifically aged care and disability, residential care done before we got to this time of year?

Richard Colbeck:

We have had an emphasis on getting aged care and disability done all the way through. That's why they were put in Category 1A, and we’ve worked aggressively through them. There's always going to be a provider that's first, and there's always going to be somebody at the other end of the queue. We've scheduled these through progressively and methodically. We've worked with the providers to deal with issues that they might have had. Some of them might have had a gastro outbreak, some of might have had their flu shots scheduled.

So, we've worked with the providers to progressively get this done. It's a significant logistical exercise. It’s largely been completed in 13 weeks. I think it's a good job and I congratulate the people who've been working on this every day, every week since we started the vaccine rollout. And of course, we'll continue to push on our work with aged care providers, their staff, and, of course, continuing the disability rollout.

Question:

On the staff though, the fact is, is that a lot of them do tend to work between facilities and we know that this was a huge problem during the big outbreak last year. Why hasn't there been more focus on the staff themselves vaccinated as well?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, there has been a focus on staff. And, of course, we had to reset the rollout of vaccines to staff in particular and change the way that we originally looked at the vaccine rollout for two reasons. Firstly, based on what we saw in the United States, there was medical advice to us not to vaccinate staff and residents at the same time. That was the medical advice that we received.

Then, of course, when we received the advice with respect to AstraZeneca, we had to reset the vaccination rollout for everybody with respect to people 50 and over and those under 50. And what we did subsequent to that, is we opened up a number of different channels for staff to be vaccinated. They could go to their GP, they could go to one of the GP respiratory clinics, they could go to a state Pfizer hub or one of the Commonwealth Pfizer hubs. We've established additional Pfizer hubs in some cities to accommodate staff. And of course, there's also some work where we've contracted directly with providers to bring in reach to the residents- to the staff at the facilities.

So, we have had to reset the process, we've done that and of course, we continue to work with providers and staff to get the staff vaccinated. But the priority has always been because we saw it in the tragic statistics last year, the residents, they were the ones that had to be the priority. The staff were the ones that carried the virus into the facilities, it was the residents who suffered the major impact tragically. And so, that's why the residents were prioritised. And I think that was completely appropriate.

Question:

When is the Government going to sign off on the Victorian quarantine facility proposal?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the Prime Minister and the Premier, as I understand it, continue to negotiate with respect to that. And that process will continue. Obviously, the PM's quite pleased with the submission that's been made, and negotiations with Victoria continue. I would imagine that both the Premier and the Prime Minister would like to get that finalised as quickly as possible.

Question:

Just on Dr Yang Hengjun, the Australian writer detained in China, faces a secret trial in Beijing today. Are you worried that he could receive the death penalty?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, we don't support the death penalty. We'd all be very concerned in relation to that. We're doing what we can to support that circumstance and we would urge an appropriate outcome. But clearly, we as an Australian community and Government don't support the death penalty.

Question:

Finally, Minister, sorry, just quickly, is Melbourne facing going into lockdown because the Government has failed the vaccination program?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the issues in Melbourne relate to the outbreak that's come across from South Australia. I'm trusting that the contact tracing system catches up as many people as possible, as quickly as possible so that the circumstances can be mitigated. We don't have a circumstance where we have a lockdown. That's the last thing we want and I think the Victorian community wanted. What we really need to do is for the authorities in Victoria to get on top of this outbreak as quickly as possible.

Question:

But surely, this wouldn’t have happened if we had a better quarantine facility and one that wasn't [indistinct]? We know that this spread via the hotel in South Australia. There's been so many arguments now that we should have purpose-built facilities like Howard Springs in other states. Does the Government concede or agree now that there should be more permissible quarantine facilities? And shouldn’t we have done this months ago?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the current system of hotel quarantine is a decision and agreement between the Commonwealth and states at National Cabinet. It’s a National Cabinet decision. It has actually proved overwhelmingly successful. Yes, there have been some escapes from hotel quarantine, but with this virus, you're not going to have a perfect system. So, the suggestion that a Howard Springs type facility, which has been- is being expanded in response to the review that was done with hotel quarantine. So, that is part of the Government's response to the hotel quarantine review. And it has been overwhelmingly successful. It is close to airports, it's close to the medical facilities, and it's close to an available workforce.

So, all of those things need to be considered. Clearly, the Australian Government's working with the Victorian Government with respect to a possible facility in Victoria. And we've discussed that. But this- the system that we have has been overwhelmingly successful and there's not a circumstance that you’ll find where you're going to get a perfect system.

Thanks.

 

Close

 

Allison Langdon:

As Melbourne stares down the barrel of yet another potential lockdown, concerns are being raised over the state's preparedness, in particular the vaccination of our aged care residents and workers. Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, joins us now in Canberra. Richard, thank you so much for your time this morning.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning Ally.

Allison Langdon:

There are 29 aged care facilities in Victoria yet to receive a single dose. Why not?

Richard Colbeck:

They should be done in the next few days. We've prioritised those. And we've been working our way obviously across the country. There's about 600 facilities that the Commonwealth has responsibility for in Victoria. As you said, 29 of those left to be done. They were programmed to be done in the- this week or next week, so we'll get those finalised as quickly as we can. We're actually going back over other facilities, particularly in those areas of Melbourne where there has been an outbreak. The average vaccination rate across aged care in Australia is about 85 per cent. There's some that are lower than that so we're going back and offering people a second chance to take up a vaccine if that's what they'd like now given the current circumstances.

Allison Langdon:

I mean, these facilities in Victoria who haven't seen a vaccine yet – as you’ve said, they will be prioritised. It seems to be coming a little bit late. We are talking about our most vulnerable citizens here. They have been eligible for more than three months. We know supply hasn't been an issue. So what's the explanation?

Richard Colbeck:

There's 2580-odd providers across the country. There's 183,000 residents. So in about 12 or 13 weeks we've done nearly all of those. We should be finished this week or next week, all of those across the country. It's a significant effort by our providers that are doing that. I think they've done a good job. They have done it very smoothly. Largely there's been the odd challenge along the way but we've dealt with those. We've had to reprogram some because of flu vaccinations and that is the circumstance with some of these facilities. They have programmed their flu vaccinations in and we know how important that is as well. So, it has been a significant logistical effort and we’ve been working methodically our way through it with a really good workforce that have done a great job, I think. And we should have them finalised in the week or so.

Allison Langdon:

Do you think it's acceptable though that we’ve got people in aged care facilities, we’ve got staff who are moving between some of these facilities who are still- still not have had their first dose?

Richard Colbeck:

The important thing is the residents, Ally, and that is why we have prioritised them. As I've said, we've just about got those done and we’re going back to offer people who decided or didn't give consent in the first circumstance to take up the opportunity to have the vaccine now. And-

Allison Langdon:

[Interrupts] Have we just been a little bit too relaxed though because we haven't had COVID in the community?

Richard Colbeck:

Not at all. Can I tell you that Minister Hunt and I have been working very closely with our departments, meeting several times a week to understand where the rollout’s at, which facilities are being done, are there any issues, all of those sorts of things, so we have been on this the whole time maintaining close contact with our departments to ensure that we maintain momentum, and of course as we have had to reset the entire rollout because of the advice particularly with respect to AstraZeneca, we have opened up additional channels for people to access vaccine, particularly the staff. So this has been a very live exercise all the way through, and Minister Hunt and I, and in fact the Prime Minister, have been very closely keeping an eye on this all the way through because it's really important, we want people to go and get vaccinated.

Allison Langdon:

We've now got an outbreak in Melbourne. We don't know how bad it is going to be. Hopefully not too bad. But we're looking at close to 80 exposure sites at this point. How would you feel as an aged care resident in one of these homes in Victoria if you haven't had the jab? How do you think they're feeling right now?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, some of them have chosen not to take the jab, Ally, which is- I find a little disappointing, but it's been their choice. We continue to work through the rest of the sites. We have prioritised those as we have said. We have opened up a number of channels for the workforce to get vaccinated and we are going back over sites where we have been where people have chosen not to take the jab to see whether they want to take it up given the changed circumstances.

But I have to say the one thing that really did comfort me was when I rang the Victorian Aged Care Recovery Centre, which we established last year during the peak of the second wave, is that that had already kicked into action. They were already in touch with providers in the areas where- that had been identified as outbreaks, they were making sure that their PPE supplies were strong, they were checking on their COVID outbreak plans.

So, all of the systems that we put in place last year to deal with the COVID outbreak we had in Victoria had kicked into action before I even made the call. I asked for some additional information which is now being provided to me on a daily basis. So the systems and what we learnt from the outbreak last year have very quickly kicked into place. So, there is- most people, most people, a large proportion of them, have had their vaccinations, so we’re in a much better situation than we were last year.

Allison Langdon:

[Talks over] But we still have staff working at these facilities who have not been vaccinated as we face another outbreak. That is the headline, I guess, isn't it, this morning, that we're looking at?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, if you look at the statistics, the people that are the most vulnerable are the residents and that’s why we have prioritised those and we should. A tragedy in Victoria last year, we lost 655 residents of aged care in Victoria. And they're the ones that are vulnerable, so that is why we have prioritised those. We make no apology for doing that.

Allison Langdon:

Okay. Thank you so much for your time this morning, Minister, we appreciate it.

Close

The measures announced earlier this month by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg offer tangible steps toward doing just that – from personal income tax cuts to business tax incentives, new apprenticeships and investments in infrastructure.

This will secure Tasmania’s recovery and drive the unemployment rate down by creating more jobs. 

Small and medium businesses – the engine room of the Tasmanian economy – will be able to step out from shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic with confidence.

Instant asset write offs will ensure our primary producers have one less thing to worry about.  

Tasmania’s infrastructure will also be upgraded through a $377 million investment for projects that will ease congestion, connect communities, and improve road safety.

Apprentices can forge ahead with their careers with the extension of JobTrainer.

Most importantly, the Budget underpins measures to ensure our health and wellbeing.

Tasmanians can rely on the continuation of telehealth consultations through Medicare until the end of the year, while 3,500 Tasmanian families will enjoy a more affordable and accessible childcare system.

The $17.7 billion investment to overhaul the aged care sector, in response to the Royal Commission, will also offer senior Tasmanians and those who care for them peace-of-mind.  

The investment will help thousands of senior Tasmanians, with an additional 80,000 home care packages to be delivered over two years to support more people to live at home for longer.

An additional $7.8 billion into residential aged care services will improve quality of care and simplify service and access for people living in nursing homes.

This will create generational change and allow Tasmanians age with the dignity and respect they deserve.

The pandemic has tested our resolve.

But the Australian economy has recovered strongly and is set to return to pre-pandemic levels nine months earlier than expected.

There are still testing times ahead, but this month’s Budget provides a blueprint to a brighter future.

Close

E&OE...

Steve Price:

… going in aged care facilities. Now, I spoke last week with Annie Butler, Federal Secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Foundation, and just before I cross to Senator Richard Colbeck, Minister for Aged Care Services and Sport, I asked the union leader whether all her staff in aged care had been vaccinated.

[Excerpt]

Annie Butler:

They absolutely are not.

Steve Price:

[Talks over] What?

Annie Butler:

We have been- again, a very good question. We have been raising our concerns from January and been trying to get the Government and the Department to be clear about the vaccination rollout in aged care. If I can tell you a story of a member who contacted us just earlier this week. She’s an aged care worker, she’d had her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. She’s meant to get her next one 3 weeks later. They’re already waiting for it to happen, and it just got cancelled. And then they’ve had no further information of when that is going to- when the appointment is going to be rescheduled again and when they might get their vaccine.

[End of excerpt]

Steve Price:

So, obviously the vaccine rollout is a state issue in state-run aged care facilities and in private nursing homes. I wonder about the federally funded nursing homes. But the states seem to have dropped the ball.

Senator Richard Colbeck joins us. Thanks for your time at the beginning of the week, Senator.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning Steve.

Steve Price:

The states letting you down?

Richard Colbeck:

No, we’re working pretty closely with the states, particularly with respect to vaccination staff. When we got the advice that we did on the AstraZeneca vaccine being recommended for people 50 and over only, we had to reset the rollout, particularly for staff. The vaccination process for residents in residential aged care is continuing and it’ll be resolved- first doses will be finished in the next week or so. So, we’re getting through that very well. But we did have to do a fairly significantly reset with respect to the staff. We were initially planning to vaccinate staff and residents together. We’ve got some health advice, particularly off the back of some experience in the US not to vaccinate staff and residents together, particularly because of some of the side effect impacts of staff turning up to work off the back of a vaccination. And so now we’ve got a number of different methods to vaccinate staff.

Those under 50 can go to state Pfizer clinics, and we’re working pretty closely with them on that process, where some staff have been vaccinated via an in-reach where, for example, a provider have an arrangement with their local GP, and the local GP can come in and give those 50 and over the AstraZeneca vaccine. There’s the- they can go to their own GP via arrangement. They can also go to some of the GP respiratory clinics. And so- so that we can get through the staff as quickly as possible, recognising that they are an important cohort.

Steve Price:

I went to a respiratory clinic. Got it. No problem. It was easy to get in. One phone call and I was done. What about residents? Who is responsible for vaccinating the most vulnerable in our community?

Richard Colbeck:

So, the point that you were making just before I came on is correct. Staff- sorry, residents in residentially federally regulated aged care are being done by the Commonwealth. And as I said a moment ago, in a week or so we’ll be through our first doses there. We've done 135,500 of the 183,000 residents in over 2000 facilities – 2163 sites we’ve done. So, we're getting pretty close to the first dose completion there, which is fantastic. The states are doing their own state-run aged care facilities. We are doing some private facilities as we've worked our way through the system. So, the objective, regardless of who does it, is to get across as many as possible, as quickly as possible. And we- and there's also our multipurpose facilities, MPS’s. Some of those are state run. Some of those are federally- under federal oversight. And the respective parties are looking after those.

Steve Price:

Are you hearing any anecdotal evidence that there are some aged care facilities that have fallen through the cracks?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, we've done our best to find everybody. There's some that weren't on the radar because they were completely private. But we've been working with the states to make sure that we identify all of those so that if they are there, we can find them and we can make sure that the residents are vaccinated.

Steve Price:

And you think- are any states doing better than others, or are you reluctant to out a state that’s not doing as well as another?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, not in my experience. I get a report on what's happening with vaccination every day. I have a hook up with my department where we work through any particular issues that we're having. And from all the feedback that I'm getting, everybody's paying due attention to this. We all understand because of the experience we had, particularly last year in New South Wales and Victoria, how vulnerable residents in residential aged care facilities are. And so that's why they have been prioritised first, particularly given that we don't yet have a full understanding of whether the vaccine prevents transmission or not. So getting the residents vaccinated first is the most important thing. Obviously, we've had to reset the vaccination process for staff. And so, we've got a number of outlets that are available there so that they can get access to a vaccine as quickly as possible, and we continue to work our way through that vaccination process.

Steve Price:

As Minister for Sport with your minister for sport’s hat on, the Australian cricketers that were involved in the IPL are back, they landed in Sydney about 20 minutes ago and they'll go into a standalone quarantine. They are saying that they're not jumping the queue. Is that correct?

Richard Colbeck:

Well they're being managed by Cricket Australia through a specific quarantine process arranged by Cricket Australia and approved through various departments in a similar way that we did with the Australian Open, so that they don't take up places within the caps that exist within the various states. So…

Steve Price:

How is that possible, though? I mean, if New South Wales can take, I don't know, just like a figure, a thousand people a week, are you saying that what New South Wales is doing is adding another 38 that wouldn't normally be there? I mean, how does that work?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, New South Wales are doing about 3000 a week is my understanding. And they are, I have to say, doing a great job, carrying a huge load on behalf of the entire country. But the arrangements for the cricketers are they in a completely separate facility managed by them and with individual oversight so that they don't take up any of those places and [indistinct]…

Steve Price:

[Talks over] It’s been paid for by Australian cricket?

Richard Colbeck:

Paid for by Cricket Australia, yes.

Steve Price:

And what's the status of the Olympians? Are they all jabbed now?

Richard Colbeck:

No, look, I don't think they are. And I have seen some reports where, for example, that they have delayed their second dose to impact around a particular event, but they do have access to it. We've provided access to the vaccine for the Olympians and those that are supporting the teams for the Olympics and the Paralympics. That process is being managed by the AOC.

Steve Price:

In your discussions with John Coates, are you convinced Tokyo will happen?

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah, look, I'm pretty confident it will. It's obviously still a difficult situation over there, but every signal that I have had is that it will. It's going to be a very interesting event to observe. The concern that I think everybody has is that there will be COVID there. The question I have, I suppose, is, in that circumstance and if it does get away, what's the impact on the event? So, every signal that I've heard from the AOC and the IOC is that the event’s going to go ahead. But there still do remain some concerns, and we watch very closely for the next edition of the playbook, which is effectively the document that regulates how the sites will be managed.

Steve Price:

Yeah, it’s very interesting. Out of the weekend, Osaka is one of the cities over there. Obviously, main events will be in Tokyo, but they are spread around Japan. But in Osaka, they're talking about their medical system being overwhelmed, 17,000 people with virus symptoms, and basically their state of emergency has been extended in both Tokyo and Osaka. People I know who operate in Japan, say the Japanese are not all that keen on having it. So it’d be a bit of a miracle if it happens, won't it?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I have seen the reports, particularly with respect to the views of the Japanese people. Obviously, the final decision will be made by the IOC in conjunction with the Japanese Government, and the things that you're talking about will have to be taken into account as part of that process, I would have thought.

Steve Price:

Good to catch up with you. Thanks for your time. Have a good week.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much, Steve.

Steve Price:

That’s Senator Richard Colbeck, Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Sport. He's saying that a lot of the aged care facilities have been now fully vaccinated. There's still some on the waiting list obviously, so we will have to keep an eye on that.

Close

Richard Colbeck:

We're here today at the invitation of Melaleuca to talk through the budget, the issues that we have been seeing over recent times, and how they best managed those, get an understanding of the redesign of the system and the impact that it might have on them as a provider. Particularly of concern to them is their ongoing viability, and that's a really important thing in the provision of care. Melaleuca have been a really good provider of aged care here in the region for a long time. And a very committed group of staff and board that have served this community exceptionally well, and I have to say, managed the COVID outbreak here last year exceptionally well, too, and continue to be a facility that is extremely popular and in demand as far as access is concerned. So, you know, very good to be here this morning, supporting and working through the reforms that are coming over the next five years in the aged care sector off the back of the royal commission and the budget announcement last Tuesday.

Question:

What were their concerns about viability in light of the reforms?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, they've, like a lot of other providers, had difficulty in making ends meet. And so, the additional funding that we've put in through the budget will make a significant difference to them. They were very keen to understand how their new aged care costing model will work. That will come into effect as of 1 October next year. AN-ACC will start then. The $10 per bed per day injection that will support the sector between 1 July this year and the commencement of AN-ACC, but also the new Independent Hospitals and Aged Care Pricing Authority, which will conduct a regular assessment of the cost of delivery of care, including all of the inputs – wages, for example – that are part of a wage case right now, and then recommend that back to Government as part of the new payment funding system. And that will go- that is a really important reform, particularly in the context of the viability of the sector.

Question:

Have you done enough? I mean, you haven't provided 24-hour RNs in the reforms? It’s 16 hours, isn’t it? But have you done enough? Are you confident that you're changing the way aged care is provided?

Richard Colbeck:

So what we've done with respect to the staffing arrangements is accept the recommendation of the royal commission for 200 minutes, an RN 16 hours per day. There will be a new matrix that comes in with the AN-ACC model that will support the care that is specific to the facility. And so there's an assessment process of the residents, which makes an assessment of their care needs and a matrix that works with the AN-ACC model that ensures that there's an appropriate level of support and staffing that goes with that. That's extremely important. And with respect to the other recommendations of the royal commission, those things will continue to be considered. And we've said that they will be stipulated in the new Aged Care Act that we’ll also be developing over the next two years.

Question:

Are you confident the regulator will have enough powers and enough resources to do its job properly?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, look, the regulator is actually a very new organisation. It only came into being in its current structure at the beginning of last calendar year, the beginning of 2000 [sic]. So they've had a bit of a trial, if you like, in their first year of existence in the structure that they have. We're going to do a capability review of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. We’ll be looking at the governments. We've given them additional capacity. And the royal commission's recommended additional powers as well, and we've accepted largely the recommendations of the royal commission; 85 per cent of them have been accepted by Government. So we'll ensure that the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has the tools that it needs to effectively provide oversight to the sector.

Question:

Just two more questions. Residents are in aged care now. Are you confident that their lives will be improved by these, because you're talking about things that are coming into the future?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, we've already made direct injections into the sector. We put 100- just almost $190 million into the sector when we released the royal commission's report to support viability. We're putting another $10 per bed per day in through the budget. We're putting the support in for our workforce. And the whole objective of the reforms coming out of the back of the royal commission are to ensure a high quality of care for senior Australians in aged care. That's the point of the redesign of the system. And it is a generational redesign, the new pricing structures, all of those things go to support better care, including many of the access to GP's and ancillary services. All of those things are about a better provision of care.

Question:

I just want to ask you, Richard, I mean, you were talking to Meg, our reporter, the other day about Yaraandoo. Have you done anything further in terms of- are you meeting with Yaraandoo management?

Richard Colbeck:

We will be meeting with, particularly the Duniams, very soon.

Question:

Okay.

Question:

I've just got some questions about the vaccine, if that's all right.

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah, sure.

Question:

So 84 per cent of aged care residents have received the vaccine already. When are you hoping that all residents- is there a month? By the end of this month or next month?

Richard Colbeck:

We're hoping that the first dose of vaccines will be completed in the next couple of weeks. And I'm very comfortable with where that process is. We, Minister Hunt and I, discuss this on a very regular basis, and so we're hoping that in the next couple of weeks, all residents will have received their first dose. And then, of course, given that it's the Pfizer vaccine, the second dose will follow three weeks behind that. We have been working with some providers to provide some flexibility around issues that they've had in their facilities. So if they've got a gastro outbreak or if we need to do some work with them to arrange around flu vaccinations for example, where in some states there are public health orders requiring a vaccination to be completed by a certain point in time, we're working with them to manage that flexibility. But the plan is at this point in time and our expectation is that we'll have more residents with their first dose completed in the next couple of weeks.

Question:

And why should older Australians get vaccinated before people with disabilities, you know, especially considering that people with disabilities cannot be tested for coronavirus in some cases? Is it- why should people, older people get it before people with disabilities?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, quite simply, because older people have been proven and demonstrated - particularly tragically through Victoria last year – to be the most vulnerable, and so that’s why they’ve been prioritised in the way that they have. People with disability also do have some vulnerabilities and that’s why they’ve been classified in category 1A. But we’ve also had to manage some additional health advice with respect to particularly the AstraZeneca virus [sic] and so we’ve done that and we’ve had a major reset of the vaccination process, and particularly for staff in residential aged care, to cater for the medical advice, the health advice we’ve had with respect to the vaccines. So if you look across the community, and particularly the experience in Victoria last year, there’s no question that people in residential aged care are the most vulnerable, and that’s why they’ve been prioritised in the way that they have.

Question:

I think the criticism was that cricketers and politicians were getting preference over aged care people and people with disabilities in terms of vaccinations.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I haven’t had my vaccination yet, and I qualified for vaccination this week as someone who’s over the age of 50, and we’ve rolled those- the vaccinations out in that process. I- politicians haven’t been preferenced in the context of the vaccination rollouts. Some of my colleagues have had a vaccination to demonstrate that it is a high quality vaccine and it’s safe to do so. So I would reject those criticisms. We have quite clearly prioritised those who are most vulnerable and I’m very pleased to say that in the next couple of weeks, the first dose for those who are the most vulnerable – senior Australians and residential aged care – we should’ve completed their first dose.

Question:

Are you worried that there are reports that older Australians are putting off getting the AstraZeneca vaccine and instead hoping they might get the Pfizer or Moderna later in the year?

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah. Look, I have to say that I am concerned about that. Both of these vaccines are very good at protecting you against the virus. I think there’s a level of complacency that exists in the country at the moment because there isn’t too much vaccine- too much virus circulating, and that is of concern. And I would urge everyone to- who has a vaccine available to them to take it up. The risks of the virus, particularly for older Australians, are much, much greater than any risk from the vaccine.

Question:

And just a final one from me. How many people do you need to be vaccinated before the Government can think about opening the border?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, obviously, we’re going to have to consider the borders at some point in time. I don’t think there’s a specific number on that. The thing that we need to remember is that vaccination is a voluntary process, but I’ll make the point again that the risks of contracting COVID are much, much greater than any risk from any of the vaccines.

Question:

When’s the election, Richard?

Richard Colbeck:

[Laughs] Sometime between now and May next year, I expect, Libby.

Question:

Okay. Can I ask you a question, Gavin?

Gavin Pearce:

Sure [indistinct].

Question:

I just wanted to ask you this very local story. Just in regard to the saleyards, we’ve got both proponents saying that they’re going to proceed. Do you have a view on what should happen regarding the next step?

Gavin Pearce:

I’ve spoken with both groups and spoken to them at length, as I have industry leaders, and I’ve also explained to them the greater considerations that we have as a state, and that is the critical mass of cattle, sheep, and pork that we have within the state, that needs to be considered. And, ultimately, at the end of everyone’s day, it- this is a commercial decision and needs to be assessed on its commercial basis and its commercial viability. So, I’m there for them every day if they need a hand with, you know, accessing figures and getting that data. That’s what I’m there for, but as far as trying to put my fingers into the industry, that’s not my job and it needs to be a commercial decision.

Question:

[Indistinct], but you’re a smart man. Do you have- and you’re in the industry…

Gavin Pearce:

[Interrupts] Thank you, Libby.

Question:

And you’re in the industry, do you have a view on which sale- concept should go ahead - the one at Wesley Vale or the one at Minna Road? It’s Minna Road, isn’t it?

Gavin Pearce:

I wouldn’t like to say either way. I think for me to comment would influence that commercial decision. I don’t think that’s fair. What my priority is, deep-seated right in my heart is the future of the industry for the state. We’ve got a bright future. We need the capacity within the state to not only slaughter but we also require that ability to export live, and I think both of those options need to be protected, preserved for the future of the industry.

Question:

To export live?

Gavin Pearce:

Yes.

Question:

Okay, so what are you seeing there in terms of [indistinct]?

Gavin Pearce:

[Interrupts] Well, from an industries perspective, you know, we’ll look at it from the top down. We’ll look at the bos indicus cattle that we have along the top end of Australia, that export market into particularly Indonesia is absolutely crucial for the industry. And what we need to remember at the bottom end, down under, is that, if that is affected by the closure or the cessation of that live export, then that will have dramatic exports downstream. And, you know, we’ve seen probably a record year for the price of store cattle and trade cattle this year. Our farmers in Tassie are producing the very best that we can get anywhere in the nation. I want to see that continue, but we don’t need an implosion of that market due to that external influences that live export will have on it.

Question:

Thank you.

Close

Stephen Cenatiempo:

Well, the Federal Budget saw a lot of money thrown around last night – or the night before, I should say, and some would even call the spending profligate and a lot of that was focused at the aged care sector. Obviously, because of the Royal Commission, into Australia’s aged care system. The Government says it's establishing a five pillar, five-year plan for genuine change, with the largest investment in aged care and the largest in response to that Royal Commission in history. Now, most responses so far from within the industry have been overwhelmingly positive, but there are still some issues that- or concerns that we need to address. Richard Colbeck is the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services and joins us now. Minister, good morning.

Richard Colbeck:

Good morning.

Stephen Cenatiempo:

A lot of money thrown at the system, but is there real structural change that is going to change the nature of aged care in Australia?

Richard Colbeck:

Absolutely. It's not just about money, although $17.7 billion is an awful lot of money, but it's also about structural reform and it's about a new aged care act. It's a complete review of the quality indicators and quality standards, that’s an inspector general of aged care that will support a strengthened Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. It's improved reporting of how taxpayer’s funds are spent in the delivery of care. [Indistinct] new star rating system that will report that information back to the community and consumers of aged care. So, it is a generational reform of the entire aged care system. It’s additional capacity and homecare, 80,000 new packages over two years at a cost of $6.5 billion, to address- to increase the capacity of care at home, which is clearly what senior Australians want, which will be the number of homecare packages available to over 275,000 by the end of ‘23, ‘24.

Stephen Cenatiempo:

Let's talk about those homecare packages, because obviously that is the preference to keep people in their own homes. And this will certainly alleviate the current backlog that is there in the system. But this is going to have to be recurrent funding moving forward, because as our population gets older, the need for these homecare packages is only going to increase.

Richard Colbeck:

That's right. The demand for new packages grows by about six per cent per annum and as the population continues to age, as you've indicated, so will demand for care at home. And while we roll out that 80,000 packages over the next two years, we'll also be reforming the way that we deliver care at home to be much more tailored to the individual needs of residents. But also, to gain some efficiencies from the system and some additional oversight to ensure that we're getting the best value for money for the taxpayer dollar that we're contributing to support senior Australians. So, this is a fundamental reform of the system, once in a generation across the entire system, in response to the 148 recommendations of the Royal Commission.

Stephen Cenatiempo:

How many of those 148 recommendations have been implemented or will be implemented?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we're accepting in principle about 85 per cent. There are six that we don't agree with and that goes to how much we charge individual Australians for their [indistinct]. So there's some recommendations with respect to consumer contributions, which we haven't accepted. But we've largely accepted the bulk of what the Royal Commission has indicated. Some of the things that they've recommended in previous reports, say the COVID special report, we've already put into place. And of course, the reform process commences now that we've announced, A) the budget, and responded to those recommendations. So, a lot of these things will come into place and commence. For example, the additional funding to support the sustainability of the sector will start on the 1 July, noting that we've already put in a significant amount of money in our immediate response to the Royal Commission in support of the sustainability of the sector.

Stephen Cenatiempo:

Minister, one criticism from a critic of the government's policy here is that it further entrenches a government driven aged care system. How do you respond to that?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, this goes to the fundamental reform of the sector and the way that that operates. So, for example, at the moment, we allocated aged care beds to aged care providers and then the opportunity is left for residents to take up one of the beds. We’ll be providing those beds directly to senior Australians, they can then make the choice where they take that bed. So, that will drive a change in behaviour by the providers, because they will need to be providing a higher quality of care if consumers are going to take the resources that they have to them for- to take up an aged care bed. So, this is very, very clearly, a completely new way of delivering this care. It’s going to take them a mindset change for many in the aged care sector for it to be implemented. But, the new act, the new quality standard and the systems of [indistinct] will also drive that. But also, as we’ve seen with a lot of the changes that have turned over the last 20 years; what Australians want to see in the services that [indistinct]- have also been a significant factor in driving the way that the aged care sector looks like. It may be that people want to pool resources together into, say, smaller scale aged care facilities in their local communities. All of those things are available and we want to see innovation in the delivery of care.

Stephen Cenatiempo:

Minister, I really appreciate your time this morning.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much, thanks for the opportunity.  

Stephen Cenatiempo:

All the best. Richard Colbeck, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services.

Close

Leon Compton: 

Royal Commission handed down earlier this year and so, as you might imagine, out of the federal budget on Tuesday night, there was lots more money for Australians in residential and home care around the country. It was a significant part of the budget. Some of the headline numbers, $17.7 billion over 5 years, 80,000 additional home care packages over the next two years. And 200 minutes of personal staff care a day.

But the question is how will that be delivered? Who will deliver it? What will they earn? Senator Richard Colbeck, Minister for Senior Australian Aged Care Services and I had the opportunity to catch up with him from Parliament House in Canberra a little earlier this morning. I started by trying to dive into some of what the numbers around the budget announcement actually mean, for example.  What does 200 minutes of aged care per resident per day actually mean? Have a listen. 

[Plays Audio]

Richard Colbeck: 

Well, that's the time that, on average, that residents should receive a support from personal care workers within the facility. There's also a requirement for a certain period of time availability for nurses during the day as well to provide that oversight and clinical care. 

This is following an accepting the recommendation of the Royal Commission, Leon. No variation from the Royal Commission in that sense. And of course that also has implications for the, the workforce building and skilling the workforce and of course, the response announced in the budget on Tuesday and I also make some investments in that context too 

Leon Compton: 

So Lucy O’Flaherty who has just stepped down as the CEO of Glenview was with us yesterday. She said it is still unclear what the 200 minutes mean does that include the time that you're in a residential lunchroom, for example, with your fellow residents receiving lunch or dinner each day?

Richard Colbeck: 

Well, I have to say I'm a little bit surprised that that sort of statement. I would have thought that the that aged care providers understand very well what the requirement is. There's been a lot of discussion about this during the process of the Royal Commission. There's been a lot of investigation of what happens in other countries, and particularly in the US, and a lot of the recommendations coming out of the Royal Commission refer back to the systems that they use in the United States and I suppose that goes back to some of the work that we need to continue to do with the sector in implementing these reforms. 

Leon Compton: 

Okay, so Senator does the 200 minutes per day include the time that residents may be a wheeled or taken into the shared lunch area and sit there receiving lunch. 

Richard Colbeck: 

It will, It will involve all of the services that are provided to residents and of course one of the things that will be doing is requiring reporting of that information back from providers and of course then reporting that to the publicly and of course back to residents and their families.

Leon Compton: 

Reporting it to whom Minister?

Richard Colbeck: 

Well as I said back to the residents and their families and it will also be part of the design of the star rating system, which will assess aged care providers against each other in the context of the quality of care that they provide, not just in clinical sense, but also with respect to financial performance of the facilities and also the lifestyle elements that they provide as well. So it will be a comprehensive system that supports consumers to understand the quality of care that's provided by aged care providers across the country.

Leon Compton: 

Who ultimately will hold these aged care facilities accountable though if they don't meet the new standards that you're setting, the Aged Care Royal Commission found that the current watchdog just wasn't tough enough and recommended the establishment of a new tougher, more independent body was that part of your federal budget?

Richard Colbeck: 

Well Leon we've responded to each of the 148 recommendations of the Royal Commission, including providing additional capacity and powers for the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. We’ll be doing capability review of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. There will be a review of the quality standards that apply to the aged care sector. There will be additional oversight and advocacy in support of the aged care sector, so governance is a very important part of the overall process of delivery care. There will be an Inspector General of aged care. There will be new at national Aged Care Advisory Council and the Council of Elders that supports the delivery of service. So this is not just about a large allocation of money, although that it is a very significant allocation of funding to the aged care sector. This is about a fundamental generational redesign of the system supported by a new Aged Care Act to change the way that we deliver aged care in this country for the better. 

Leon Compton: 

Let's talk about the 80,000 home care places that would be rolled out over the next two years. Will that fix the problem? You and I have spoken over years about the fact that for Tasmania there are people waiting for home care packages for up to a year in cases. Will that end with this announcement? 

Richard Colbeck: 

Well, that's the advice that we've been provided, and that's the assessment, so that's why we've allocated this scale of package. So and that's that's a $6.5 billion package over the next four years. And if you consider what we've allocated into the system since the 2018/19 budget. We've put in over 80,000 packages at a cost of $5.5 billion, so this government since the 2018/ 19 budget has allocated $12 billion dollars for 160,000 home care packages, which is a huge investment on behalf of senior Australians. Our genuine desire is to make available care for people when they need it, and of course in the two years between now and while those 80,000 packages are being rolled out. Our proposal is to completely reform the way that the home care system is delivered. So that it's much more tailored to the individual needs of the residents rather than in the in the current way that it's on levels 1,2, 3 and 4.

Close

Fran Kelly:

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the Government has now laid down a comprehensive plan to fix aged care in Australia and bring real change to the sector that's been dogged by abuse, mistreatment and neglect. Tuesday night's budget unveiled the Government's response to the Royal Commission, promising $17.7 billion in new spending to pay for more staff, better care and stronger regulators. Chief Executive Officer of Hammond Care Mike Baird told us earlier this morning that's a good start, but providers will need help giving workers a pay rise if they want to attract more staff.

[Excerpt]

Mike Baird:

It's incredible to me that you have a position that someone, you know, a young person can go into hospitality role and it’s three or four, five dollars more an hour for very junior roles, whereas a care worker that is changing someone's life, that's what they're doing day in, day out, incredible work, is being paid so much less.

[End of excerpt]

Fran Kelly:

That's Mike Baird. He's the CEO of Hammond Care.

And it's not just providers who are asking for more money. Nurses say the Government's missed the once in a generation chance for change and Labor says the Federal Government can't be trusted to bring this sector back off its knees.

Richard Colbeck is the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services. He joins me in the Parliament House studios. Minister, welcome back to Breakfast.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Fran.

Fran Kelly:

Before we get to aged care, can I just ask you about the vaccine rollout? Because we hear this morning, Moderna’s announced it's done a deal with the Australian Government to provide 25 million doses this year and next. Now, Moderna is an MRNA virus like the Pfizer virus. How soon do you think they'll receive approval and get this vaccine rolling out here?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the- Moderna will be providing data to the TGA for that process. One of the things that we can do is be very confident in the processes of the TGA. So, that process will commence as the information and data arise from Moderna. Hopefully, done relatively quickly so that we can get that process out of the way. And then, of course, that becomes the availability of the vaccine itself. And as I understand it, some of the vaccine that's being considered is- is also applicable to variants of the virus, which is the first time that's occurred, which is also good news.

Fran Kelly:

Do we expect it in the last quarter of the year or before then?

Richard Colbeck:

My understanding is that the first doses will be available late this year, maybe available late this year. So that's my understanding at this point in time. Minister Hunt will make a more detailed announcement with respect to the deal later in the morning. So, that information will be available then. But the initial information that I have is that we understand that some of the doses may be available later this year with- and that's about 10 million, I think, and then a further 15 million that may have impact on variants of the virus during next year.

Fran Kelly:

So, it should mean that people who are over 60 who are worried about AstraZeneca, which is all that's available for them now, might decide to wait and get Moderna later in the year?

Richard Colbeck:

Some people may decide to do that, Fran. At this point in time, with the vaccines that we have available, we're offering people 50 and over the AstraZeneca vaccine and-

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] 50 and over- I beg your pardon, yeah.

Richard Colbeck:

And for people under 50, the Pfizer vaccine. And that is based on the availability of the vaccines that we have right now. Both vaccines are highly effective in protecting people from the virus, and particularly for older people, the risk of the virus, as we've seen tragically in many circumstances, particularly in Victoria, is much, much greater than any risks with the vaccine.

Fran Kelly:

Can you clear up for us the confusion that seems to have emerged over when the nation will be vaccinated? Because the Treasurer on Tuesday night said anyone who wants the jab will have both doses by the end of the year. That's what he told us in the Budget lock up press conference. The Prime Minister says it could be many months beyond that. Which is it?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, there's two elements to this. There are some assumptions that have been made by Treasury in their framing of some of the costings in the Budget which is- which is …

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] And I asked Treasury that on Budget night. I asked that- I checked that and checked the assumptions and they said, yes, it was all Australians by the end of the year.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that's the availability of a first dose of the vaccine. And the thing that we need to remember about, particularly the AstraZeneca vaccine, is that there's 12 weeks between doses. And so, providing- making available a dose to everyone who wants one by the end of the year is clearly the goal that we have for the rollout this year.

Fran Kelly:

Well, on Budget night, we were led to believe it was two doses.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, can I say that would- the clear aspiration for the government is to have available for everyone who wants a vaccine the first dose by the end of the year. For it to be two doses, you would have to bring that forward significantly. And that's never been part of our plans, never been part of our plans because there is 12 weeks between doses.

Fran Kelly:

Alright.

Richard Colbeck:

So, I don't- I don't see where that suggestion comes from. So, the aspiration is to make available to every Australian first dose of vaccine by the end of this year, and of course, the vaccine is still voluntary. It's not compulsory. And so, there may be some Australians who decide not to take it up.

Fran Kelly:

Okay.

Richard Colbeck:

We will- what we would like to do is to make it available for everyone who wants to have a dose- first dose by the end of this year.

Fran Kelly:

I want to get to the aged care sector and funding, of course, but just vaccine in your sector, aged care homes. I'm sure you're ready for this question because there were some rocky starts to the rollout in aged care homes. It was taken longer than everyone was predicting and everyone's happy about. How many nursing homes are still to be vaccinated?

Richard Colbeck:

We're about 80 per cent of the way through the sector right now. So …

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] Homes and workers?

Richard Colbeck:

The workforce is different. We've had to recalibrate that because at the outset, we were planning to do workers and work- and at aged care residents at the same time. The health advice came to us, particularly out of advice from the United States not to do that because that was impacting on workforce and care delivery. So, we changed that process.

We'll have all aged care residents having had their first dose in the next couple of weeks. So that process has settled really nicely. I'm very happy with the way that that’s going …

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] All residents within a couple of weeks.

Richard Colbeck:

All residents within the next couple of weeks will have had their first dose. And of course, then the second dose, because it's the Pfizer vaccine, will follow in the three weeks that follow from that. We've- because of the advice- health advice that we've received with respect to AstraZeneca, we've had to reset the workforce rollout. And so, we now have a number of different pathways for the aged care workforce to access the vaccine. That's through state clinics, it’s through their GPs, it's through some in reach into residential aged care facilities. And in remote communities, it may be that we're going in and we're vaccinating the entire community together.

Fran Kelly:

Okay.

Richard Colbeck:

So, there are a number of pathways for the workforce. And of course, we do want to get the workforce vaccinated as quickly as possible, and that's why there are a number of pathways to facilitate that.

Fran Kelly:

Minister, let me go to the aged care package in the budget. It's a huge investment, $18 billion over five years. Is this just a down payment? The sector says much more is needed, probably double. Will there be more for aged care coming and when?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, this is not just about money. This is about a fundamental reform of the way that aged care is delivered. There will be a new aged care act. There will be a complete review of the quality standards. There'll be a new aged care advisory committee. There'll be a director-general of aged care that's established as well. So this is not just about money. Yes, there's additional resources that have been required and we followed the recommendations of the royal commission with respect to providing immediately additional resources into the sector, $10 per bed, per day. That's at significant cost. The way that the aged care sector is remunerated will change. We will be establishing an aged care financing authority that- through the independent modification of IHPA, the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, that will be given some aged care expertise. They will do, on a regular basis, a cost of delivery of care calculation, which will be recommended back to the Government to resource the sector. So some of these additional costs that are being talked about, including wages, will be fed into that process in the calculation of the actual cost of delivery of care. So we may see some changes in the forward projections with respect to the aged care budget. But those things haven't been factored in yet because they haven’t been calculated and they can't be until we know what the numbers that support them are.

Fran Kelly:

Okay. A couple of areas we need to get to before we run out of time here. Talking about the home care packages, 80,000 packages costed in his budget, $6.5 billion. They'll be rolled out over a two-year period. The Government thinks that's enough to clear the backlog, which is closer, we think, to 100,000 right now. But when will the waitlist for these packages be cleared? Because some people we know, we've heard are waiting 12 months or more for the care.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the advice that we have is that those- that is the process that will do that. We need to do that in a safe way. We're currently rolling out an offering to senior Australians, about 1200 aged care home care packages per week. So that process will continue with the 40,000 additional packages next year ...

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] 40,000 next year, and 40,000 the following year ...

Richard Colbeck:

That’s correct.

Fran Kelly:

... which means some people on that waitlist are still going to be waiting a couple of years.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, no, I wouldn't say that. There is continued turnover in packages. And, for example, at the moment, for a high need level four package, the waiting time is about 30 days, at the moment. So it does vary depending on the package. But the clear aspiration of the Government is to get that waiting time right down. And of course, in that two years, we're also going to reform the entire to care at home system.

Fran Kelly:

Well, this is important ...

Richard Colbeck:

[Interrupts] It is important.

Fran Kelly:

... because the high level packages, for instance, there's a real issue brewing it would seem, with the cost of these packages and getting staff to come, once you've been assessed and get your package, getting staff in your home to help. But the cost of it, I've seen some suggestions that a level four package, I think it might cost around- be worth around a thousand dollars a week of care, delivering only 10 hours a week care in some cases. Is there rorting going on with some of these providers?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, we're concerned about some of the administration costs that are being charged and we're closely looking at that already. And that was part of our announcement, initial announcement in response to the royal commission when their report was handed down earlier this year. So we're looking very closely at that. We want to see as much as possible of the taxpayer’s funds that are going into these packages going to care. So we will continue to watch that very closely. And, of course, we'll be giving some additional powers to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission who oversight the sector, to keep an eye on these things. So financial reporting and understanding and ensuring that the best value in terms of care delivery goes to the people who are receiving the care is one of the things that's very important to us.

Fran Kelly:

On that very issue of accountability, really, of every dollar, the Royal Commission was clear about the need to improve standards of care, found 68 per cent of residents in Victoria homes were malnourished or at risk of being malnourished. The budget gives government funding of an extra $10 per day per resident, $3.2 billion. That's a lot of money. How will you guarantee that money will go to better care? Will you be able to account for every dollar of that $10 extra? Because we learnt in the royal commission that currently providers don't have to account to the Government's about how they spend that money.

Richard Colbeck:

Improved financial reporting and more detailed financial reporting will be a fact- a feature of the system going ahead. And so we'll be asking providers to report on not only where the money goes, but we’ll also be improving our reporting and increasing the number of quality care indicators that reported to Government. And that ...

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] But would you expect that extra $10 a day, would you expect that to go directly to better care, better food, better meals, better care, more hours of staff in care?

Richard Colbeck:

That is the expectation that we've indicated already. And we've also said that we want reporting of that back to Government.

Fran Kelly:

Because we spoke with Mike Baird, currently CEO of Hammond Care, earlier this morning. He said, when I was asking him about the $10 a day and accounting for it, he said one challenge is that providers are losing $10 a day per resident on average right now. He said Hammond Care, more than that. Doesn't that simply mean some providers will use this money to get to the point where they're no longer using money and it won't actually flow through to improve care?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, my expectation is that providers do report us. We will be requiring them to report to us on their expenditure across the board with respect to food and care delivery. That will be one of the features of the redesign of the aged care system. And so providers need to get used to the fact that that's what the Government will be requiring. We’ll be reporting that publicly, because the royal commission quite clearly said that there needed to be more information that was publicly available with respect to the provision of care from providers. We agree with that and we'll be asking providers to provide that information.

Fran Kelly:

Richard Colbeck, I think we need a chapter two of this interview. Hopefully we can do that soon. Thank you very much for joining us.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Fran.

Fran Kelly:

Richard Colbeck is the federal Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services. The aged care package was the centrepiece of the Government's budget on Tuesday night, an investment of an extra $18 billion, which will bring annual funding for aged care government funding to close to $30 billion a year, but still major workforce problems. And we'll keep looking at that here on Breakfast over the coming weeks and months.

Close

Peter Stefanovic:

Let’s go live to Canberra now, and joining us is Richard Colbeck, the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services. Senator, good to see you. Thanks for your time as always. So, Moderna says that there is a deal in place. Can you confirm that a deal has actually been reached with our government?

Richard Colbeck:

That’s my understanding Peter, and Minister Hunt will be making a more detailed announcement later in the morning. But it’s more good news in the context of vaccine supply for Australia.

Peter Stefanovic:

Okay. Well, is there anything more you can add to that? What more do you know about it? I can appreciate the fact that Greg Hunt will talk about this later on, but what more can you say about the deal?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I’ve only had the opportunity this morning to have a very quick conversation with Greg. He has the specific details of that. But in the context of additional vaccine capacity which has been one of the factors that’s impacted on the rollout of the vaccine strategy across the country, it’s good news that we will have when this vaccine becomes available, bearing in mind, it still needs to be approved by the TGA for utilisation here in Australia. But it’s good news for supply of vaccine in our vaccine rollout.

Peter Stefanovic:

Have you got a rough timeframe?

Richard Colbeck:

My understanding is that some of the doses will became available later this year. So, that again is good news. But of course, it still does have to go through the TGA approval process to ensure that- and we can provide confidence to Australians that all the vaccines that we’re supplying in the rollout here in Australia are safe.

Peter Stefanovic:

And primarily, who would receive them?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that decision again will be made and recommended to the government by our health authorities, as we’ve done all the way through [audio skip] vaccine rollout. But as you see under current circumstance, the current mRNA vaccine that we have here in Australia, the Pfizer vaccine, is being given to those under 50. But as we have more supply, it’s maybe that we can extend the capacity to other age groups. But those decisions haven’t been made yet.

Peter Stefanovic:

Okay. Is this another example though of a deal that the government should have sorted a long time ago?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we’ve been in negotiations with vaccine suppliers and discussions with vaccine suppliers for a considerable period of time. We’ve obviously got this particular arrangement to a point where we’re able to announce a deal. But the various negotiations have been at different stages all the way through, and we’ll continue to talk to the sector as the vaccines evolve. And of course, as the capacity for them to deal with variants evolves as well. So, the vaccine strategy [audio skip] will continue to be an ongoing thing for a considerable period of time yet, I think. There’s already discussions around the options and the requirements for additional vaccines and booster vaccines subsequent to the initial process. So, we’ll still be evolving and engaging with the sector in the context of how the rollout continues for a period of time yet, and we’ll continue to do what we’ve done all the way through, which is to take the advice of our health specialists, and that’s served us very, very well.

Peter Stefanovic:

Are you expecting the Moderna vaccines to be manufactured locally as well?

Richard Colbeck:

We're discussing the options that we have with respect to the manufacturer of mRNA vaccines here in Australia on a number of fronts, and as we continue those negotiations, obviously we'll get to a situation where we're able to make specific announcements. But we are, I think, in a good position because we do have sovereign vaccine capacity here in Australia now. And obviously, given the fact that there will be an ongoing requirement, vaccines and mRNA vaccines are probably one of the future vaccine types that will be available, it would be good to have that capacity here in Australia.

Peter Stefanovic:

Okay. Just to do with Moderna, one final one here, is it going to be for those under 50 or will aged care residents be able to get them as well?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, aged care residents are pretty much, already vaccinated. The vaccination for aged care residents will be completed in the next couple of weeks for first dose and their second doses have been set aside as a part of the process we already have, using the Pfizer vaccine. So, we won’t be switching vaccines for aged care residents, we’ll continue with the current vaccination type and system that we have. And the first doses of those will be completed in the next couple of weeks and of course, the second dose following three weeks behind for completion.

Peter Stefanovic:

Okay. So, just to confirm; so, by the end of, what, next month, all aged care residents should have received two jabs?

Richard Colbeck:

All those who want to take it up, pretty much, should have received it by that point in time. But, the advice that I had talking to the department yesterday was that we’re- in the next couple of weeks, we will have finalised the vaccinations for residents in aged care.

Peter Stefanovic:

Okay, and what about workers?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that work continues and obviously, the advice that we received from our health authorities, with respect to AstraZeneca, meant that we had to have a reset of the vaccination rollout for aged care workforce. We are working extremely well with the states, so there are a number of outlets and opportunities for aged care and disability workforce to get vaccinated, whether that be in reach programs into residential aged care facilities, whether it be state hubs through their GPs. There are a number of opportunities, so that we can, as quickly as possible, get the aged care workforce vaccinated on the back of the work that we’ve been doing for residents.

Peter Stefanovic:

What percentage of the workforce would you say at the moment has been vaccinated?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I think the total number of vaccinations in the workforce is somewhere around 50,000; 56,000 was the latest figure that I saw.

Peter Stefanovic:

[Talks over] And what does that equal in terms of the percentage?

Richard Colbeck:

And of course that has- well, the total workforce is about 366,000 that were accounting for as a part of the process. So, there is some more work to do with respect of that. But of course, the rollout was disrupted by the health advice that we received to restrict the rollout or the availability of the AstraZeneca vaccine to people 50 and over.

Peter Stefanovic:

Okay, just on to your budget. The budget spent in aged care received well for the most part. A couple of points on this, though. What good is it, the big spend, if wages for aged care workers remain low? Because how are you going to attract staff?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, you're right that the workforce in aged care, whether that be in residential aged care or home care, is vitally important and we've made a significant investment in this budget in training for workers both in residential aged care and workforce. There is currently a case before Fair Work Australia, which is the appropriate place for it to be and the Royal Commission, confirmed that and we look forward to that process continuing. And that will be a very important factor in the overall growth and improvement in the quality of service provided. But, we also have provided some additional assistance, particularly for nursing staff who are the drivers of quality of care in residential aged care. So, we're supporting in this budget some additional resources and some additional funding directly to nurses to, to support them in the aged care sector and to attract them to the aged care sector, including some specifics around training.

Peter Stefanovic:

And how do you how- what sort of guarantees are there as well to guard against malnourishment? Because isn't there- there's nothing that can stop the poor from keeping that extra $10 fee per person, right?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, as a part of the reforms that we're putting in place, there'll be much more financial transparency, there'll be reporting that's required publicly. There'll be a new star rating system that will provide consumers with information directly relating to the performance of providers. That'll go not only to quality standards, which will incorporate things like the quality of food, but also the clinical care that's being received. And so, what we're talking about here is not just about a big pot of money. It's a significant investment by the Australian taxpayer in the system. We're talking about a fundamental reform of the way that aged care is delivered in this country. There'll be a new set of quality standards. There'll be additional capacity and resources for the Quality and Safety Commission. There'll be additional oversight. So, this is a fundamental generational reform of the way that aged care is delivered in this country. It's not about the resources. They are very important and they will support the reform of the sector. But, it's a significant job to do and it will take some time. We've set ourselves a five-year program to implement these reforms. Some of them are quite complicated. There'll be a new Aged Care Act. So, this is a fundamental generational reform of the aged care sector.

Peter Stefanovic:

Okay. Richard Colbeck, thanks for your time. Talk to you soon.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks.

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Sabra Lane:

With the Liberals claiming victory in Tasmania, let’s take a look at the political repercussions. Richard Colbeck is the Federal Minister for Senior Australians, Aged Care Services and Sport, he’s a Tasmanian Liberal Senator based in Devonport and he lives in the seat of Braddon.

Good morning and welcome to the program.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning Sabra.

Sabra Lane:

It’s an unprecedented third term for the Liberal Government, Mr Gutwein is hopeful of Governing in a majority, but he may do that, he may not, depending on the result of Clark. What’s your take on the results?

Richard Colbeck:

Well firstly, congratulations to Peter and his team on an historic win, it’s the first time that we’ve as Liberal Party formed Government for the third time in Tasmania’s electoral history so congratulations to Peter on that, congratulations to Peter on this, ah, historic vote, it shows the strength of his leadership and the recognition of the electorate or that strength of leadership and I do think that Peter will lead a thirteenth seat majority Government. I don’t think as was discussed with Antony Greene last night that there is enough chunks of quota in Clark to elect anyone else other than a second Liberal so I think he will lead a second Liberal Government so that sets Tasmania up for continued strong majority Government which is what it needs. When you have opposition parties particularly the Greens who attack our major industries for their own political ends, this is not the time for Tasmania to have that and you know we have the best performing economy in the country, we have the highest levels of business confidence in the country and that actually sets up the economy to deliver the services that Tasmanians want and need.

Sabra Lane:

But Mr Gutwein’s also acknowledged the Government has to do better on health, that every Tasmanian deserves a roof over their heads. Could those two issues affect your chances Federally? We’re expecting a poll within about twelve months.

Richard Colbeck:

Look I think that electors in Tasmania fully understand that there is a difference between state and Federal Governments, the um electorate didn’t fall for the dishonest Labor campaign that it ran with respect to health and particularly TAFE, um a completely dishonest campaign and it shows that the electorate won’t fall for that. I think that their campaign on health was an attempt to run a Medi- scare type campaign that was run by Federal Labor in 2016, but people talking to me in the street saw through that. They didn’t believe what Labor was telling them, and of course, Labor have significant problems internally here in Tasmania. The candidate that Labor didn’t want is leading the person who wants to be leader of the party in Tasmania and so they have significant problems and I think the electorate saw that.

Sabra Lane:

Bass and Braddon Federally are marginal seats and are seats that do tend to swing. There’s been a resounding re- endorsement for the Liberals in Bass and that’s largely due to Peter Gutwein’s personal vote there, he’s got three quotas in his own right almost. In Lyons the Liberal party’s hoping to pick up that seat in the next election, how achievable is that?

Richard Colbeck:

Lyons is clearly an achievable seat for us at the Federal election and the two local members Gavin Pearce in Braddon and Bridget Archer in Bass have been doing a great job, they have fantastic connection with the electorates and are working exceptionally hard and there are parts of Bass for example that I think Labor have taken for granted as being their own which are now not, so that’s down to the work that Bridget Archer has done in her time as the Federal member, so I think that we’re in reasonable shape in both of those to hold those, I think both of those local members deserve well and truly to be re- elected and I think they’ve done a great job and Lyons is clearly a seat that could come to the coalition at the next election. We would have won it last time had it not been for the circumstances that arose with our candidates so we will continue to work hard in Lyons as we have been all through the last, ah through this term and it’s certainly a target seat.

Sabra Lane:

Tasmania’s an ageing population here, given your own portfolio, the Government’s said its full response to the Aged Care Royal Commission is coming in the budget just over a week and a half away- it’s been reported the Government’s prepared to spend up more that ten billion over four years to address the problems. How will aged care feature in the budget and how will it feature in you trying to win another term in Government?

Richard Colbeck:

Well clearly given the Royal Commission’s report it needs to be a significant element of the budget and it will be. It’s a very important service and you need to remember that Prime Minister Morrison called the Aged Care Royal Commission as one of the first acts that he undertook when he took the leadership. He understood that there was an issue there. He understood that it needed to be looked at forensically, so he had the courage to call that Royal Commission. It wasn’t supported by Labor as they claim, and we now have the report and there will be substantial response in the budget.

Sabra Lane:

Richard Colbeck, thanks for joining AM this morning.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much Sabra.

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E&OE...

Laura Jayes:

Joining me now live is the Sports Minister, Richard Colbeck. Thanks so much for your time, Minister. This big announcement today that Australian athletes will be vaccinated before going to Japan. How will it work?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the Australian Olympic Committee have their own private contractor, Aspen Medical, who will be providing the service to apply the vaccines on behalf of the AOC to both the Olympians, Paralympians, and also the support teams that are going with them. So that's the process [audio skip] allocation of vaccines, both Pfizer and AstraZeneca, has been made to cover off on those vaccinations. And so that will be done through the AOC’s contractor.

Laura Jayes:

So has the AOC bought their own allocation of vaccines? Or does it come out of the shipments that we're getting from Pfizer and the AstraZeneca ones out of CSL?

Richard Colbeck:

No, there’s been an allocation made as a part of the rollout through Category 1B to the athletes and the supporters for both the Olympics and the Paralympics.

Laura Jayes:

Do you see this is prioritising athletes over some of our most vulnerable?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we've always prioritised our most vulnerable and they're well on the way to being vaccinated. If you look at the states, the circumstance there is that pretty much all of the frontline workers in hotel quarantine have already been vaccinated. We’re well on our way through residential aged care. In fact, every aged care provider around the country either has a date or a window within which the vaccinations will be completed, and that will be done in the next few weeks. So, we have always prioritised our most vulnerable, they’re well on the way. And of course, the decision's been made by National Cabinet to bring the Olympians, Paralympians and support crews into Category 1B as a part of that rollout.

Laura Jayes:

Will they be given special quarantining rights, if you like? Or exemptions on their return?

Richard Colbeck:

My expectation, and I think everyone's expectation, is that they will go through a quarantine process that's similar to everybody else. I know that there's been some discussions in the media, particularly about an AFL style of hub. But my expectation it will be much more like an Australian Open type of exercise where there’s the capacity to individually isolate athletes in the case of one of them carrying it when they come home. We don't want it spreading within [audio skip] that's the last thing we need. So it will be very much a hotel quarantine type of system in my expectation. But my understanding is that the AOC are having direct discussions with the states about that so that the returning athletes are not within the caps that we have, they are a separate process, which is exactly what happened with the Australian Open - it wasn't within the caps so it didn't take precedence over other Australians looking to come home.

Laura Jayes:

Okay. That's a really important clarification, that it wouldn't be in the existing caps - it’d be over and above. But, of course, because the hotels, the quarantine system is run by the states, they need to do those quarantine systems and negotiations with each state government. I accept that.

Now, we have heard from Queensland already that there'll be no special treatment for athletes; that they'll be going into the hotel quarantine system. Is that your expectation, like what happened at the Australian Open, when they go [audio skip] hotel quarantine outside of the, the current caps, rather than quarantining in their own homes or a special facility?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that would be my expectation. It would be more an Australian Open’s type of quarantine system. I don’t see them having any special treatment, I would be very concerned if they were in an AFL hub type situation where we saw, say, during the finals last year. Because the concern would be that if one of the athletes does have it and they’re mixing, then the opportunity might be for it to spread through the quarantine system. We don’t want that. We’ve seen figures after the last couple of days that show how effective our hotel quarantine really is - 99.99 per cent effective - even despite the fact that we have had some incursions out of hotel quarantine. So we have a very effective system and my expectation would be that the athletes came back from Tokyo, in a situation where it is highly likely – in fact, it’s almost inevitable – that there will be COVID at the games, and the potential for our athletes to be exposed to it. But, they’ll go through an appropriate quarantine process on the way back.

Laura Jayes:

Yeah, indeed, we’re seeing an explosion of cases in Japan, not quite as bad as, as India. But, if Japan does become a hotspot, will we still send our athletes to the Olympics?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we continue to watch that really closely, because we’re very concerned, obviously, about the circumstance that’s occurring globally. We’re very, very worried about what’s happening in India right now, and obviously some measures to support India in managing the outbreak that it’s got now. I think if it was 350,000 cases, that’s more than half of the new cases globally, so, a really concerning circumstance. We all- we watched that very, very closely. I understand the next version of the Olympic playbook to manage COVID is coming out today, so, we’ll look at that very, very closely as well. But obviously, it's something that both the AOC, IOC and the Japanese Government will be keeping close eye on as well. We want to be able to see the games go ahead if they possibly can, but we want to see them go ahead safely.

Laura Jayes:

If I could change tack for a moment, because you're also the Minister for Aged Care. And you mentioned the numbers of vaccinations that have taken place in those homes. Now, if you look at the Government schedule for those under 1A in particular, you combine the numbers of disability and aged care – workers, and staff, and also, residents - and in total, that's about 508,000. Can you say how many of that 508,000 have received at least one vaccine?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we're well into, in fact, well over halfway, towards three quarters of the way of getting through aged care residents, which are the most vulnerable and quite understandably, from my point of view, had the priority. And as I said to you a moment ago, we have provided to every aged care provider a date or a two-week window within which we will complete the roll out of vaccines for their first dose. And of course, then the second dose will follow three weeks behind that. So that's well underway and, of course, with the-

Laura Jayes:

Can you say how many in percentage terms?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it’s close to 75 per cent that have received a dose in residential aged care - so, we're well on the way. And as I said, that will be completed in the next few weeks, so, I’m very happy about where that sits right now. And because we've had to undertake a reset of the rollout for staff in particular, because of the guidance around AstraZeneca, we're offering a number of options for access to vaccinations for staff - both those over 50 and those- 50 and over and under 50 to receive the appropriate vaccine through state process in reach and some outreach programmes as well. So- And I have to say, I'm very pleased with the cooperation and support that we've received from the states in working on that, so, that we can get those priority classifications vaccinated as quickly as possible. It's really important that we get that done as soon as we can and before winter takes in.

Laura Jayes:

Yeah, absolutely it is. Richard Colbeck, as always, thanks for your time.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Laura.

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E&OE...

Fran Kelly:

And speaking of our Olympic athletes, they have been given the green light for a COVID vaccine so they can participate in the Tokyo Games in three months’ time. Nonetheless, warnings persist that it will be impossible to keep COVID out of the Athletes’ Village and performance venues.

Richard Colbeck is the Federal Sports Minister. Minister, welcome back to Breakfast.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning Fran.

Fran Kelly:

About 2500 athletes and support staff will be prioritised for vaccines. Why are you prioritising fit young athletes ahead of highly vulnerable people who are still yet to receive their injections here in Australia?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we’ve always prioritised the vulnerable, and that’s why they were the first that were given access to the vaccines, and that process continues. But it was always anticipated that there would be overlaps in the various stages. National Cabinet decided that they would, after a request from the AOC and Paralympics Australia, include the athletes and support staff in stage 1B of the rollout. And we announced that decision obviously last night in support of the athletes being able to safely- safely as possible complete in the games- the Olympics in July and the Paralympics in August.

Fran Kelly:

You can understand why athletes need to be protected before they go into Japan which is a hotspot at the moment, but some people in stage 1A, you can also understand the frustration that people in stage 1A, let alone 1B, aren’t vaccinated yet. I’ve got a number of texts this morning. One says: Please ask the Minister why people playing games are more important- will be immunised before my 96-year-old dad in an aged care facility.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we’ve never said that they were more important. And as I indicated-

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] No, but they’re getting the vaccine and her father hasn’t yet.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, he will. And that process- and the senior Australians were always prioritised. They were put in category 1A, and as I indicated before-

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] It’s a pretty old slow priority boat, isn’t it, for some?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I actually completely disagree, Fran. It was always anticipated that there would be overlaps in the commencement of the stages. It wasn’t that we would finish 1A then we would go to 1B then we would finish 1B and go to 2A. It was always anticipated as the availability of vaccine supply grew, so we would open up additional stages of the program. Every aged care facility in Australia has either a date or a two-week window within which their vaccinations will be completed. That information’s been forwarded to them all, and that will be done in the next few weeks. So, that continues. And those that are most vulnerable have always been vaccinated, and we’re working our way steadily through that process.

But there are also other considerations. And National Cabinet’s clearly made a decision to support the vaccination of the athletes who are going to the Olympics and Paralympics as a part of that process of consideration.

Fran Kelly:

So, every aged care home will be- have their vaccines within the next few weeks?

Richard Colbeck:

Correct.

Fran Kelly:

Does that mean by, what, the end of May? Mid-May?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, each of them has a date or a two-week window within which they will receive their vaccination. We are working with a few of them who want to change those dates around to allow for flu vaccinations which have been scheduled. But each facility has been provided either a date or a two-week window within which they will receive their vaccination.

Fran Kelly:

And when will our Olympians be vaccinated?

Richard Colbeck:

That'll be done progressively through a contractor that's been employed by the Australian Olympic Commission.

Fran Kelly:

Aspen Medical I think is doing it, isn't it?

Richard Colbeck:

I believe that's the case. And- but those arrangements will be made with the with the AOC and Paralympics Australia. We weren’t- we won’t be managing that.

Fran Kelly:

[Talks over] So, the AOC’s contracted- So, the AOC’s contracted Aspen Medical so you can guarantee there won't be any extra strain or load on the public system through this.

Richard Colbeck:

That's correct. That's correct.

Fran Kelly:

And what vaccine will the Olympians get, the Olympians and the Paralympian’s?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that will depend on their age. Those who are 50 and over will receive access to the AstraZeneca vaccine and those that are under 50 will receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Fran Kelly:

Okay. Later today, games organisers will release the second edition of its so-called playbook, the guide to how to hold an Olympics in the age of COVID, which is likely to include daily testing of athletes who- the athletes won't be allowed to leave the Athletes’ Village except to train and compete. But the AOC, as we understand, has war gamed a scenario in which around 100 athletes would be carrying the virus at any one time in the village. An Olympic village is a busy and crowded place. Are outbreaks unavoidable regardless of all the protocols? Do you think it's going to be impossible to keep everybody safe?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I think it's inevitable that there will be coronavirus at the Olympics. I think that that would have to be a given. It is a concern. I think that's one of the things that feeds into National Cabinet's decision to support the athletes in receiving vaccination. I'll be very interested to see what is in the playbook, because that's going to be an extremely important document in the overall management of the games. But I think underlying all of that, things that we've been talking about here in Australia and observing as a community for a period of time - social etiquette, social distancing, washing your hands, maintaining all of those disciplines - I think are going to be very, very important for our athletes as well, because it is not going to be a segregated games village, food halls, things of that nature where the athletes will be gathering and mingling together. So, observing those important things that will protect yourself from contracting the virus. And it's most likely that you will pick the virus up off a surface and give it to yourself by touching your face, for example. Observing all of those etiquettes is going to be extremely important for the athletes to understand as well.

Fran Kelly:

Given the scenario you just described, given the risk, given the almost resignation that people- some will contract it, is it responsible for these games to be held? I mean, Japan is facing its fourth wave of the pandemic. Tokyo is still in a state of emergency. More than 10,000 people have died there. Is it responsible for the Olympics to go ahead?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I think that’s a legitimate question, Fran, and I’m sure that the IOC and the Japanese Government are giving that matter serious consideration. But, it is a significant question because, quite clearly, not all athletes from all nations are going to have the opportunity, for example, to be vaccinated. But we still don’t understand-

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] And if we think about the Paralympics, it’s even more dangerous.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that’s, that’s correct. For some of the athletes, and they are going to have to make, I think, a very conscious decision about whether or not they attend in some circumstances. But they are very serious question for both the IOC and the Japanese Government to consider as we get closer to the games.

Fran Kelly:

As our Sports Minister I’m sure you’ve talked to a lot of people about this. Are you worried the games could be a super spreader event?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I’m concerned that, a, that the- of- at the probability that there will be virus present within the athlete cohort. And then, of course, I’m concerned that that may spread to Australian athletes, and then the flow on effects from that for the games. So, we remain very alert to all of those things, that’s why conversations such as what might happen and with respect to quarantining coming home are so important. But also, what might happen if an athlete were to contract the virus at the games, how they might be looked after properly is also something that we’re con- we’re quite concerned about.

Fran Kelly:

I’ll bet. Let’s talk about the quarantine. The AOC want’s a bespoke quarantine regime for the athlete’s when they return home. I imagine it’s something like those resort hubs used by the AFL last year. Is the Government going to allow that? Would the AOC pay for that? Or will returning athletes and coaches be required to go into hotel quarantine- hotel quarantine like everybody else?

Richard Colbeck:

One of the concerns for the AOC is that they don't take up spots in the returning capacity of the country, and so that's one of the reasons that they're asking for something that's, say, a bit like what happened with the Australian Open where they didn't take up fac- the capacity of the hotel quarantine system, but they had something that was designed specifically for them. I would see what the athletes coming home from Tokyo would go through would be something much more like we had at the Australian Open, where the athletes were in individual rooms. And in the circumstance of a virus occurring in, say, a planeload of- that came in, there was the capacity to provide some isolation, rather than AFL style hub.

Fran Kelly:

[Talks over] Alright.

Richard Colbeck:

I don’t think that that would be acceptable. So I think - and the AOC is negotiating with, as I understand, a number of states with respect to this process right now. But I- my expectation is it would be a much more Australian Open style of quarantine process than a- than an AFL hub.

Fran Kelly:

And, as Australia's Sports Minister are planning on going to the games?

Richard Colbeck:

I have been invited. I've provided my information for credentials, but I haven't made a final decision on attending. Depending on-

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] Would you be worried about attending? I'm not sure, have you been vaccinated?

Richard Colbeck:

No, I haven't yet been vaccinated. And so there's a number of processes that I need to go through at this point in time. But of course, it may be that in the lead up to the games, in the few days in the lead up to the games, a decision will be made with respect to the awarding of the 2032 Olympics. And so, the consideration is what representation Australia might have for that process? Given that we're the preferred bidder at this stage.

Fran Kelly:

And what about coverage of the games? What about the Australian media sent over there? Should they be priority vaccinated, too?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, some of those journalists have asked me that question. That's obviously one of the considerations that we're undertaking at the moment.

Fran Kelly:

Okay. Minister, just on another issue, we're almost out of time, but there's a total of 36 Australian cricketers, coaches, commentators in India for the IPL, including Steve Smith, Dave Warmer- Warner, Pat Cummins - some of our top players. The price has made it clear that they're going to have to look after that themselves, And Cricket Australia is looking at some kind of charter flight. Would you expect a charter flight? And would that be allowed to travel straight to Australia? Or would it have to go to another destination, perhaps in Europe, so players could quarantine there rather than flying home so they don't add to the load already being felt in hotel quarantine?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I understand that there are some discussions with respect to a number of different classifications of people coming out of India at the moment. Obviously, there's some there that are quite vulnerable. And we're very concerned about those. There’s about 10,000 Australians who are there at the moment. So we're looking at the circumstances of all of those, but as you would understand at the moment we have a pause on flights to Australia from India, and so those individual circumstances are going to have to be considered on their merits in an individual case. No decisions have been made at this point in time.

Fran Kelly:

But if the cricketers get a charter flight home, will they go into a hotel quarantine? Or will they have to quarantine somewhere else so they don't bring, potentially, a viral load into Australia?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, one of the reasons for the pause, Fran, was to give our hotel quarantine…

Fran Kelly:

[Talks over] That’s right.

Richard Colbeck:

… space, because of the load that we've seen out of India, and so we won't be making any decisions that impact on that. But there aren't any decisions we’ve- that’ve been made yet with respect to the cricketers.

Fran Kelly:

All right, Minister. Thank you for joining us.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Fran.

Fran Kelly:

Richard Colbeck is the Minister for Aged Care Services and Sport.

Close

Michael Rowland:

Meantime, National Cabinet has also moved to protect athletes and staff heading to the Tokyo Olympics, agreeing to offer them COVID vaccinations ahead of schedule. The Sports Minister Richard Colbeck joins us now from Devonport in Tasmania. Senator Colbeck, good morning.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Michael.

Michael Rowland:

So what’s the reasoning behind the Olympians being bumped up the queue?

Richard Colbeck:

Well clearly, there remains some concern with respect to the amount of COVID in the world and the probability that it will be present at the Tokyo Olympics. Tokyo itself is still having some issues with respect to incidence of COVID right now. The IOC the AOC and Paralympics Australia had both made a request to us to make the vaccine available to the athletes before they went away. That’s obviously been considered by National Cabinet, and National Cabinet has agreed to allocate an appropriate number of doses to support the vaccination of the athletes and the support staff before they go.

Michael Rowland:

And are we talking both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer jabs here?

Richard Colbeck:

It will be both. So those support staff over 50 will receive the AstraZeneca jab. And obviously those that are under 50 will receive the Pfizer.

Michael Rowland:

Now, we are getting messages this morning, and you would have anticipated this from front-line workers, from relatives with people in aged care who are meant to be at the top of the queue, Senator Colbeck, who still have not been vaccinated. What do you say to them when they read about this?

Richard Colbeck:

Well there was always anticipated to be some overlaps in the rollout. What the National Cabinet’s decided to do is put the athletes and officials for the Olympics into 1B. Of course, residents in residential aged care are in stage 1A and that process will continue. By the time the athletes go away, all of the residents in residential aged care will well and truly have been vaccinated. Every aged care facility in the country has either a date or a two-week window within which they will be receiving vaccinations for their residents and that will be done in the next few weeks. And of course, we’ve been working with the states since we’ve had to reset the national rollout, to provide a series of options to support staff in residential aged care as well. And that's progressing well, so there’ll be a number of options to make it as easy as possible for staff in residential aged care to access their vaccination.

Michael Rowland:

Can you understand, though, the concern and in some cases, white hot anger being felt by some of those people in 1A this morning about what’s unfolding for the athletes?

Richard Colbeck:

No, I can't actually, because it was always anticipated that there would be some overlap. The athletes are going to want to represent Australia ...

Michael Rowland:

[Talks over] Was there? I mean, when was that anticipated?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, right from the beginning. It was never going to be that we would finish 1A before we started 1B or we would finish 1B before we started 2A. There was always some anticipated overlap in the stages. And that’s largely been driven by the availability of vaccine supplies and that remains one of the considerations in the rollout process. And so that was always going to be the case. What National Cabinet’s decided to do is to bring the athletes and support staff for the Olympics into category 1B. And so while the rollout continues through 1A, then the athletes will have the opportunity to be vaccinated as part of 1B which has already commenced.

Michael Rowland:

Now the AOC is also calling for – and I’ll use their word - bespoke quarantine arrangements for the athletes when they return from Tokyo. Firstly, what are- do you know what they’re asking for in particular? Is it a hybrid hotel-home, is it just home quarantine? What are they asking the Government to approve?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, mostly those negotiations are occurring with the states because they manage hotel quarantine. The Olympians and the Olympic movement don't want to take up the very scarce places that are available in hotel quarantine. They don’t want to put other people out of the queue so they are looking to design something for themselves, and so my anticipation would be that it would look something very like what happened with the Australian Open, where you effectively had a hotel quarantine system that was specific to the Australian Open, when that occurred in January this year. It still had all those stringent measures that supported the protection of the Australian community but it provided for something that didn't impact on the overall cap that we had for people returning.

Michael Rowland:

Okay. So, just to be clear, the returning athletes will undergo 14 days in hotel quarantine?

Richard Colbeck:

That would be very much my expectation. I did hear some reports earlier that they were looking for an AFL hub style of exercise but given the probability that there will be coronavirus at the Olympics and at the Paralympics, I don't think it would be acceptable in any sense that they didn't undergo a full 14-day quarantine with all the measures around that to protect the rest of the Australian community. I mean, they are going away to represent Australia but we still need to consider the rest of the Australian community when they come home.

Michael Rowland:

Okay. So that’s 14 days in hotels just to be absolutely clear?

Richard Colbeck:

Yes.

Michael Rowland:

Okay. Just finally, to the main story this morning, Senator Colbeck, the absolutely devastating situation in India. We’re hearing from so many Indian-Australians stranded now by the Government's decision to pause flights from that country for the next three weeks. What do you say to them?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we will be there to support where we can. Obviously, a very, very difficult decision. It is a terrible situation that's unfolding in India right now. As a Government, as a nation, we are joining a number of others in providing support to India to help them to manage the circumstances that they're in. It is a pause though because we need to make sure that our facilities here have the space to be able to manage those coming in with the rates of the virus that is coming in with them. And of course, we’ve put some other measures in place with respect to testing prior to leaving places like India - India and more particularly, so that we can ensure we don't have potential incidents of coronavirus in the country.

So, we’re making sure that our systems that support bringing in people into the country are capable of catching the virus if we can. But we're also giving our existing systems a bit of breathing space because there has been an uptick in the number of people with coronavirus who have arrived in Australia over the last week or so and that has put some pressure on our quarantine systems and we need to make sure we can relieve that pressure.

Michael Rowland:

Richard Colbeck, really appreciate your time this morning. Thank you.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Michael.

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E&OE...

Neil Breen:

And I’ve got the Federal Sports Minister, Richard Colbeck, on the line. Good morning to you, Minister.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Neil.

Neil Breen:

When did the Federal Government find out the Queensland Government was planning on a redevelopment of The Gabba?

Richard Colbeck:

We were advised- I got a call from Stirling Hinchliffe the night before the announcement was made. Yeah.

Neil Breen:

Was that disappointing for the Federal Government to have been left out of the loop on that and find out so late?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, given that we're working so closely [indistinct] on the development of the games bid, we thought we might have been consulted, but look, we weren't. No point crying over spilt milk. That project there is now on the table as part of the proposed bid. And we get on with things. We want to be showing the IOC that we have a strong bid so that we can attract 32 games to Australia. So there's no point having an argument over it. Let's get on with things and set up structures that provide us the opportunity to develop a genuine partnership in the development and the delivery of the games.

Neil Breen:

Yesterday, when the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, wrote to Annastacia Palaszczuk, he put a condition on the guarantee, and that was that a jointly owned, funded and run Olympic infrastructure agency would be set up with full oversight on what goes ahead. Was that in response to the fact that The Gabba was just dropped on the Federal Government so late?

Richard Colbeck:

No, look, it was more in the context of the Queensland Government had asked us to be a 50 per cent funding partner in the delivery of some of the key infrastructure. And our view was that if we were to be a 50 per cent partner in something, we should be a 50 per cent partner in the process of establishing what those facilities might be, where they might be. The planning, if you like, the development, the overall costing and then the delivery. So if they want us to be a funding partner, we figured we should be genuinely a partner. And so establishing an organisation that would be their delivery agency for that seemed the right thing to do.

Neil Breen:

My special guest is the Federal Sports Minister, Richard Colbeck. And we talked about the governments getting along here and the Federal Government came up with that guarantee yesterday and it's time to move forward. Unfortunately, Richard Colbeck, the Premier, doesn't seem to be moving forward. And she had a crack at Scott Morrison on The Today Show this morning. Have a listen to it.

[Excerpt]

Annastacia Palaszczuk:

You know, to get the letter 3:57pm; the deadline is 5:00pm, you know, it says a lot. But anyway, look, we work best when we work together. I had to send the letter off to Thomas Bach last night. The lawyers went through everything. It's gone. It's all good. We're good to go. So I thank the Prime Minister for getting me such a prompt response.

[End of excerpt]

Neil Breen:

She had a crack at you about the prompt response.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, look, I don't want to get into a bickering exercise with the Queensland Government. That sort of thing, I don't think makes us look as though we're putting in a strong and cooperative bid with the IOC. It's the last thing we need. I think there's plenty of capacity for us to be able to deal with those things through the form of the organising group that we have, the OCLG. We had our conversations in that forum last week. But the important thing from our perspective is that we want to see the games coming to Australia. That's why we were early movers in the context of supporting the bid. We put $10 million on the table to assist the Queensland Government with the preparation of the bid. I'm working through that process very cooperatively with Minister Hinchliffe. We've got a very, very good working relationship. That's great. So I don't think any cheap shots at this stage of the process are not useful for the bid, because one of the things that I think the IOC will be looking for is a strong and cooperative bid between all the parties. And so let's make sure that that's the face that we're showing to the IOC as we present the bid to them. And we'll be in front of the IOC in a couple of weeks, over three days as they go through various elements of the bid. So it's going to be really important that we put a strong, combined and cooperative face to them.

Neil Breen:

As Federal Sports Minister, obviously one of the big stories today is India and possibly the ban or the suspension of flights from India and repatriation of Australians. There’s 30 fairly high profile Australian sports people, but that includes umpires and commentators, coaches and players in the Indian Premier League. What do you think will happen with those players if they try and come home and there is a ban on flights from India, Richard Colbeck?

Richard Colbeck:

Well look, that's something that we'll have to look at extremely closely. I noticed that Cricket Australia is talking to the Government. And of course, there's some opinions that have been expressed by some of the players. Look, I think that the players have been relatively mature about their approach to this. Obviously, India is in an absolutely terrible situation at the moment with the spread of the virus. And I think it’s probably salient for us as a country to look at where they're at and where we're at and consider how fortunate we are. We’re looking at what we can do to help India as a nation. And of course, we're concerned about any Australians that are overseas and there's been a program of repatriation for people from all over the world in difficult circumstances. So we'll consider all of those issues as part of our response to the pandemic.

Neil Breen:

Federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck, thanks so much for your time on 4BC Breakfast.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much, Neil.

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E&OE...

Rebecca Levingston:

So the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, put the commitment in writing yesterday. But the tens of millions of your dollars aren’t without conditions. The Federal Government has asked for several Federal MPs to be included on the three Government Olympic team, including Senator Richard Colbeck, who is the Federal Minister for Sport, he's also the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services. Senator, good morning.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Rebecca.

Rebecca Levingston:

How much money are you going to commit to Brisbane hosting the 2032 Olympics?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the 50/50 commitment is to critical infrastructure towards the Games. So, it will, depending on- depend on the costings of those particular projects; the assessment of the projects there need otherwise; and you've talked about the potential upgrade of The Gabba, for example - so that project will go through an assessment process, through the body that we're proposing as part of a genuine partnership between the Australian Government and the Queensland Government to actually assess, design, and then deliver the infrastructure that’ll be required for the game.

Rebecca Levingston:

But it's in the vicinity of half a billion dollars?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that's the proposal for The Gabba. The Premier wrote to the Prime Minister a couple of weeks ago, putting some suggested projects on the table and asking for a 50/50 split in the funding for those projects. The Prime Minister, as the Premier has indicated, responded yesterday saying that we will be prepared to do that, and we want to establish this particular agency to ensure that taxpayers money is spent as it should be, to deliver those projects efficiently in the interests of running a great games which Australia has proven previously it's very, very good at.

Rebecca Levingston:

Senator, you're the Minister for Sport. You’re also the Minister for Aged Care. And all Australians know that the aged care system is in desperate need of overhaul, as the Royal Commission revealed horror stories about abuse, care, food, understaffing, a sector that nationally has been described as a disgrace. Why is half a billion dollars better put towards hosting a major sporting event? Rather than injecting it into an aged care system that desperately needs help now?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we will deliver a comprehensive response to the Royal Commission report, which was given to us on 1 March. But it's not a binary conversation, it's not as if we can't do all the things we will continue to need to spend money on other infrastructure - roads, rail, NDIS, health, education – so, we will need to continue to invest in those things. We will, as the Prime Minister has said and announced on 1 March when we released the Royal Commission report, we will deliver a comprehensive response to the Royal Commission's report. The sector, as you indicate, needs generational change; the Prime Minister has indicated that that's what we’ll deliver. And so it's not a matter of one or the other. Obviously at points governments do have to make particular decisions. The Olympics will deliver a lot to this country over the period of the build up to the games, and subsequent to them, so they'll make an important contribution to the country. But likewise, we do need to have an aged care system that provides high quality care for senior Australians - that is very much our aspiration. I've been involved with all the meetings with the PM over recent times as we’ve considered our response, and continues to consider our response to the Royal Commission, and we'll make a comprehensive response, as the Prime Minister promised, in the budget.

Rebecca Levingston:

Can you understand, though, a Federal Minister, a Senior Minister, Senator, as yourself, your political experience, the promise of a comprehensive response doesn't translate to people. I can tell you that the response that I'm getting from people this morning is they don't feel confident in the Federal Government's prioritisation of aged care. So when there is, whether it's the Premier or you as the Federal Minister for Sport, coming out and committing this money to the Olympics and or infrastructure, however you want to phrase it, that it seems as though there's a bit of a- it's not that they're saying you can't do both at the same time, they just don't have that sense that aged care is up there above a sporting event in a country like Australia.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, both of them are important. Hosting the Olympic Games is a really important thing for us, I think, to do in a nat- international sense, and a national sense. But aged care is one of the fundamental responsibilities that we have, and I can say to you, we will deliver a comprehensive, we will deliver a comprehensive response to the Royal Commission report in the Budget. The Royal Commission asked us to respond to all of its recommendations by 31 May - we will do that. And-

Rebecca Levingston:

[Interrupts] Can you put a dollar figure on that? Because we're not that far off the budget being handed down.

Richard Colbeck:

Nice try, Rebecca, but I'll leave that, I’ll leave that process to the Treasurer to announce on budget night.

Rebecca Levingston:

[Interrupts] I thought as Aged Care Minister, though, you would be wanting to sing that dollar figure from the rooftop, say.

Richard Colbeck:

There’ll be an appropriate time for me to do that, Rebecca. But we're going through a process of finalising the budget right now. I can say to you, there will be a comprehensive response to the Royal Commission report in the budget. We will respond to all of the recommendations as we’re committed to doing, and we will then work our way through the process of delivering generational change to the aged care sector. You've indicated some of the findings of the Royal Commission report in your introduction, there is a lot that needs to be done, it will take some time, and it will take considerable investment.

Rebecca Levingston:

Let me just put to you, finally, a question from a listener - and we've only got 60 seconds before the news - but a question to Senator Colbeck from someone on text saying, as someone now of pension age and privately renting and terrified my rents about to go up too much to afford it, I'm looking at maybe sleeping in the park this winter. How are you prioritising Olympic spending and the immediate- versus the immediate and real homelessness crisis for so many older Australians?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we have arrangements, for example, for housing with the states to deliver social housing. We provide support to people, for example, for rental assistance through some of our Commonwealth project programmes, as well as support through the aged pension. So there are already a number of things that are part of what we do to support Australians in that social sense, and we'll continue to do that.

Rebecca Levingston:

Senator, I really appreciate your time this morning, and I hope some of the messaging from our listeners gets through to you as well. Thanks so much for your time.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Rebecca.

Rebecca Levingston:

Senator Richard Colbeck, the Federal Minister for Sport and the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services.

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E&OE...

Matt Webber:

Another piece of the South East Queensland 2032 Olympics puzzle was slotted in on the weekend with the Federal Government agreeing to the Premier's request for a 50-50 split of funding for the games, should the 2032 bid be successful. Let's find out more about this Senator Richard Colbeck is the Federal Sports Minister. Good morning, Senator.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Matt.

Matt Webber:

Fifty-fifty sounds quite generous. What’s the catch?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the Queensland Government asked us to be a 50-50 partner in the funding of key infrastructure for the games and in response to that, we said that’s fine but we want to be genuine partners in this process. So, we’d like to set up an infrastructure program project that allows us to be genuine partners so that we are involved in all of the elements of the assessment design and delivery of those projects so that we can look after Australian taxpayer interests and make sure we get the best value for money and potentially even attract in some private investments. So, that was our perspective on the deal if we’re going to be 50-50 funding partners, we want it to be genuine partners in the delivery of that infrastructure.

Matt Webber:

So, who has the final say here? I mean, can you elaborate a little bit on how this relationship might work?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, obviously, a lot of those details will need to be finally resolved. But the concept of state and federal governments working together in the delivery of key infrastructure isn’t a new one. For example, Snowy Hydro is a- was previously owned, until recently, by the Commonwealth and two states and that delivered one of Australia’s most significant pieces of infrastructure. This spend for the games will be a significant one, important for South East Queensland, more generally, in a broader infrastructure sense. And so being requested to be 50-50 funding partners, we said that that was fine as long as we were 50-50 partners in the other elements in the delivery and decision making.

Matt Webber:

So, for instance, if I can drill down into the specifics of something we already know, the Gabba will need to be redeveloped if we’re to host an effective games; where does the Federal Government sit when it comes to it, for instance?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that’s a proposal that was put on the table last week as a new element to the bid. That project will have to go through a full assessment process like all of the other elements of the bid as well. So, it will be subject to all of the assessment processes of the new infrastructure delivery agency that we’ve said that we’d like to set up with the Queensland Government.

Matt Webber:

I know it’s just early stages yet, but it does sound a bit like well, 50-50 but on your terms. If you like the idea of what someone proposes, then you’ll chip in. Is that a genuine partnership in the circumstances?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the whole point of setting up the agency is to ensure that it is a genuine partnership. Prime Minister said yesterday he wanted this to be the people’s games, he wanted to take the politics out of the process. That’s the purpose of this agency to do that, to give genuine assessment. But if we’re putting up 50 per cent of the funding, I think it’s reasonable that we say that we’d like to have a say in how those projects are developed, make sure that we’ve got the capacity to have some oversight of the expenditure of taxpayers’ dollars from a Commonwealth perspective. I think it's quite reasonable.

Matt Webber:

It's about 24 minutes to nine. Senator Richard Colbeck with us. We've spoken in the past in your capacity as Minister for Aged Care, speaking to you as Federal Sports Minister today, obviously, joint responsibilities for you. There is another Olympics on the horizon. It's getting closer; Tokyo, just a few months away in July. We’ll see the flame lit there. Are we any further along when it comes to whether or not athletes will be vaccinated before they go?

Richard Colbeck:

Those conversations are continuing and I suspect that there’ll be some discussion or some further discussion about that at National Cabinet later in the week. I know it was raised as part of the conversations last week but we're not just looking at athletes, we're looking at Australians that might need to travel overseas for important and specific purposes and so, how we might facilitate all them being vaccinated as well.

So, we're looking at it in a slightly broader sense, not just about the athletes. But obviously, with the Olympics coming up, they’re an important part of those considerations because I think it's without question that they'll be exposed to the virus at the games given the number of people that will be there from the various countries around the world. And so, we want to make sure that they're in the best possible circumstances.

Matt Webber:

Do you think the public will cop the possibility that Olympians or sports people or commentators or whoever else is involved in the games might be vaccinated before their elderly parents or their friend with a disability? I mean, can you guarantee that that won’t happen?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, in the context of the rollout of vaccinations across the broader community, that continues to develop. We’re close to 2 million Australians who have had their first dose of vaccination now. So, we’re getting into it and it grows and expands every day. Obviously, we’ve had some constraints, particularly with availability of vaccines but as that supply grows and the number of outlets grows, so does the number of people being vaccinated, which is fantastic. We’re well and truly into the vaccination process for aged care residents now. We’re, sort of, around three quarters of the way through first doses and that will be done in the next few weeks in the first dose context.

So, I think as long as people are confident that those that need access, want access to the vaccine that they’re able to get it, that considerations such as athletes travelling to an event like the games, they’ll be content with that as a consideration.

Matt Webber:

You were supposed to have all of 1A – phase 1A of the rollout done before the end of March though, won’t you?

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah. Well, that was based on the fact that we would have access to significant quantities of vaccine and of course, 3.8 million doses didn’t arrive or 3.1 million doses didn’t arrive from Europe. So that constrained our capacity to build the rollout and of course, then we’ve had additional medical advice with respect to who should take the AstraZeneca vaccine.

So, that’s necessitated a reset in the program. So, yes, we set some targets early and we’ve had some challenges along the way but the vaccination rollout continues, it continues to grow. And if you look at the daily numbers where we're just under 2 million people having received a dose now, I think that that is progressing well and of course we’ll open up to 2A next month, so, you know, we’re con- people over 50, sorry, next month. So we're continuing to build access to the rollout. And, as I said, I think if people are comfortable that those that need or want access to the vaccine can get it through the various channels, then they'll be comfortable with others, like Olympians who are going onto the international stage to represent our country, that they would have access to it too, so that they can travel there safely.

Matt Webber:

At 20 to nine, ABC Gold Coast, you’re listening to Mornings. Matt Webber’s my name. I'm speaking with Minister, Federal Minister for Sport Minister for Aged Care too, Senator Richard Colbeck. Senator, I might just play for you some comments from our Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk who was on ABC News 24 earlier.

[Excerpt]

Annastacia Palaszczuk:

I sent a letter to the Prime Minister at the end of last week asking for the suspension of flights coming in from India. We’re due to have a direct flight in the next week or so coming into Brisbane. It's a heightened- it's a high-risk proposition, other countries have done the suspension and I know that the Federal Government’s considering it today and I would welcome any response that they have to do that. This is a mutant strain. Unfortunately, we are seeing some 3- over 300,000 cases a day. This is unprecedented. We haven't seen this anywhere in the world like this before. And with these mutant strains, we don't know how much more contagious they are. I think, you know, the AMA has been making some really good points recently too, backing in our calls for regional quarantine. These are all issues that need to be on the table, not just left to the side.

[End of excerpt]

Matt Webber:

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk earlier on this morning, wants incoming flights from India suspended. Given many under your care, as Aged Care Minister, and those in the highest risk category, can I assume you'd be on the same page as our Premier, Senator?

Richard Colbeck:

Well look, I think what has really worked well for Australia is making the important decisions in a collaborative way, particularly through the National Cabinet process. I know that all of those decisions that the Premier was talking about are being considered and will be actually discussed today further. So I think that that remains a collaborative process. I think the National Cabinet process and the discussions, open discussions between the premiers and the Prime Minister have been very, very fruitful for our country. And I was just looking at the figures globally a few moments ago, with yesterday there were 728,000 cases diagnosed across the world. And we're in a very fortunate position here because we have made the important decisions at the appropriate time, and the states and the Commonwealth between us have managed the vaccine and the virus really well. So we'll continue to do that and we will make those important decisions as we need.

Matt Webber:

I appreciate that and I'm sure people will. But I don't think there's anyone here in Australia who doesn't think that they're fortunate on a global scale. But the numbers coming out of India are obviously, severely concerning. I'll ask you again, as Aged Care Minister, surely there is an element of urgency that needs to be applied in this instance specifically on incoming flights from India, we don't want to be exposed in any way, shape, or form. Time is of the essence.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, as I said, we made some decisions with respect to flights coming in from India last week. It'll be considered again today. And I'm sure that the premier’s concerns in the letter that she wrote to the Prime Minister last night will form part of those discussions. And after those discussions have been had today, the Prime Minister will make appropriate announcements.

Matt Webber:

Appreciate your time, Senator. Thank you.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much.

Matt Webber:

Cheers. Senator Richard Colbeck, Federal Sports Minister and also Federal Minister for Aged Care.

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E&OE...

David Koch:

Now, the Federal Government has agreed to fund half the cost of the 2032 Olympic Games, should Brisbane be confirmed as the host. The money will go towards transport and infrastructure, including the $1 billion redevelopment of the Gabba. But there is a catch - Queensland must agree to form an independent Olympic infrastructure agency, which would evaluate venues and spending. For more, I’m joined by Sports Minister Richard Colbeck. Good morning to you.

Richard Colbeck:

Good morning, [indistinct].

David Koch:

Great deal for Queensland. For the rest of the country, all of us taxpayers who are putting the rest up, what’s in it for us?

Richard Colbeck:

Well that’s the point of us wanting to have a partnership as a part of the development of the infrastructure, to make sure that taxpayers got value for money, to assess each project, to assure ourselves that the expenditure was as it should be. But this is a significant event for Australia. We’ve seen through the ‘56 Melbourne games, the 2000 Sydney games, what a huge [indistinct] it is for the country, what it does for the economy. So the whole nation does benefit from this and it actually builds another international city for us.

David Koch:

Yeah. No, it is fantastic. We would all love to win it. That's for sure. So, this Olympic infrastructure agency, does that mean it will own all of the big infrastructure there, and the rest of Australia has a half share of it, if you like?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it will do all of the work around the assessment, construction, design...

David Koch:

[Interrupts] Right. Will it own half the Gabba?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I don’t think it will end up owning half the Gabba but the concept is not a new one. For example, Snowy Hydro was built with an agency that was owned by three governments – the Commonwealth, Victoria, NSW, until recently. And that built one of the nation's most iconic pieces of infrastructure.

David Koch:

And you sort of had this system in Sydney, too, didn’t you? There was a similar one.

Richard Colbeck:

It was a little bit different in Sydney. But the Queensland Government said that they wanted us to fund 50 per cent of all of this infrastructure; we said, if we’re going to do that, we want a genuine partnership. And so this is the structure that will do that.

David Koch:

Okay. We’re the frontrunner at the moment. We’re the- in exclusive talks with the IOC, so it’s ours to lose. How are we looking? When could we expect an official announcement?

Richard Colbeck:

Well it could happen quite soon. It could, in fact, happen in conjunction with the Tokyo Olympics. So a lot of-

David Koch:

[Interrupts] What? In July?

Richard Colbeck:

A lot of work to do now. And yesterday was a critical point for us and the bid in submitting some key documentation with respect to our bid. And there’ll be some further meetings with the IOC early in May, where they’ll look at our overall plans and make some further assessments.

David Koch:

Okay. Alright. It’s very exciting. Sort of, anyone who went to the Sydney Olympics knows how much fun it is and how good it is for the country. So good luck. Hopefully we get across the line.

Richard Colbeck:

A great event for Australia and, as I said, to build some nation building city and another global city for this country.

David Koch:

Yep. Too right. Richard Colbeck, thanks for joining us.

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E&OE...

PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon everyone. I’m here to release the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, I'm being joined by Minister Hunt and Minister Colbeck. This is the first of many volumes.

I have spent the last few days poring over this. It's personal. The care of those we love is personal. Minister Hunt and I know this, as so many Australians do. We've both had parents who have been through the system. Their experiences were positive experiences, certainly in my case. And I'm forever grateful for the support and care my father received. My father spent his last moments in an aged care facility. I visited him there on many occasions, as we did as a family. You cannot separate the personal element of this, whether in discharging your responsibilities as a Prime Minister, a Minister, an aged care provider, a regulator, a carer, a worker, a cleaner, people who deliver the meals. We are all part of a system that is supposed to be providing the best quality care we can for older Australians, particularly as they age. And despite what I think are the best efforts and intentions of many governments over many years, which has been acknowledged by the Royal Commission, despite the fact we're spending double almost what we were seven years ago, we've tripled the number of in home aged care places, we're adding 1,200 a week at the moment. Many changes on quality commissioners and standards and all of this.

When I became Prime Minister, I received many briefings, as you'd expect me to, and across a range of issues and when we were addressing this issue and the assurances I sought about the quality of care being provided to older Australians in our system, I couldn't get the answer that I wanted to know and would have liked to have heard but it was impossible to hear that because it wasn't the case. No-one could give that assurance to me. And so I decided to ask one of the hard questions and that hard question was asked in the form of establishing a Royal Commission. Because I wanted to know what the quality and standard of care was being provided to my fellow Australians.

And so we called that Royal Commission and I warned the country we should brace for impact and be prepared for what would follow and it has been a harrowing process. The stories, the accounts, the evidence that has been brought together over these several years now are all set out in the Royal Commission and Australians as they read them they’ll feel the same way I did, I'm sure. And the Royal Commission has now, I think, set out a very important roadmap which I think will establish generational change in this country when it comes to aged care. It's the inquiry we needed to have. It's well considered. It's honest. It's positive. It's compassionate. It's comprehensive. It's candid. It's passionate and it's ambitious. All the things I would hope it would be when I called it. And that it could provide me and my ministers and my Government and indeed the parliament with what we needed to know in order to bring about this generational change that is needed. And I say generational change because the Royal Commission itself notes that we have been doing things in the system this way for about 25 to 30 years. Under the same constraints, under the same set of assumptions, there have been changes and there's been improvements. That's all true. Of course it is. But largely we've been operating in the same paradigm and what the Royal Commissioners - and I thank them earnestly for their work and all of those involved working in the commission, bringing this together - what they've said is the basic paradigm needs to change. And I agree. We need to make generational change so that the individualised needs and that needs-based care is developed that respects the dignity of the individual Australian.

The values, the rights, the needs. This is what must drive the system of the individual. And there was something very potent that Commissioner Briggs spoke of. Life is to be lived every single second, every single minute. It is precious. This is something I have believed my entire life, life is precious. You don't wait it out. And the fact that Australians feel they are waiting out their life, it's impossible to put into words how you respond to that. So generational change is needed.

I thank the commissioners because they're honest because they know there are no easy fixes. In fact they themselves couldn't agree on some fairly significant issues. So they've honestly provided their different perspectives on that and I welcome that and we will consider those perspectives.

This will take time. It will take quite considerable time to achieve the scale of change that we want to and need to. The commission itself sets out a 5-year timeframe for the measures that are set out in their report. And we must also take care in how we do this.

The commission itself highlights the great risks that come to people and individuals who are vulnerable and frail because of the training and availability of care workers. Because of the governance systems that are in place that oversee the delivery of that care. In many cases the quality of providers that are providing that care and the compliance too and the standards that are set and the information that's available to help those standards be upheld. So as we would seek to try and address the many urgent and short-term priorities that are set out in the Royal Commission, we also must exercise care at the same time. We cannot just take people off the streets and put them into people's homes and ask them to start caring for people. That would be irresponsible. If someone is going to go into someone's home or go into the room that they're living in in a residential aged care facility, we cannot compromise on the standards that should be there for those workers to be able to provide that support. And so we will seek to address the significant workforce issues and the standards issues and the quality issues and the governance issues. The new act and all of these things that are set out in these recommendations.

As we both frame our response and then implement our response, we must be careful because we are dealing with the needs of people who can be very vulnerable and very frail. So we must take care to do that and do that in a responsible way. Today I'm going to ask Minister Hunt to set out the initial - that's just today - the initial response we're putting in place to deal with a number of matters that we had anticipated having been working through this process now. A total sum $450 million immediately in initiatives that we'll be proceeding with. But there will be more and it will be comprehensive and addressed throughout the Budget process. I've made that very clear on numerous occasions. I didn't ask this question on the basis of not being prepared to deal with the answer. I was serious when I asked it because I wanted to know, they've told me and now I'm committed to dealing with the issues that are raised in this report together with my Government team and it will tell all of us. It will test my Government, it’ll the Budget and it’ll test the Parliament. It will test the way in which we are prepared to deal with this issue. As a once in a generation opportunity to actually change it for a new generation. That's the test for all of us. And I look forward to working with anyone, all parties, who are prepared to work with us to put in place the right response to this report and what needs to back it up.

Over the last two years also, while we called the Royal Commission, we haven't been idle. As we've waited for the Commission to do its excellent work, Minister Colbeck has been engaged in putting in place many initiatives and he can also speak to what they are. They were never intended to be the solution to- within its current paradigm. And that will continue but the work that now we have the opportunity to do - and I like to see this as an opportunity - we have this opportunity with this report to make that generational change and I look forward to working with all those who are going to work with me to achieve that.

And particularly on that I note I ask Minister Hunt to come speak to these matters. Thank you.

THE HON. GREG HUNT MP, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGED CARE: Thanks very much to the Prime Minister and to Richard. As a son of a father who spent his final months in aged care, let me start by thanking all of our carers, our nurses, the cleaners and the cooks, the doctors, the pharmacists, the volunteers, the providers that have been taking care of our loved ones. They do a great job. They do a great job. But I also know from this report and from our work in these roles, that there are great challenges, two huge trends. The ageing society which is part of the Western World. More older Australians. And at the same time, the legitimate expectation of better, stronger, deeper care. Those two things come together. Our society and our task on our watch.

And that means that we have two fundamental duties. One is to help shape the national culture of respect for our elders. We have much to learn from some parts of the world. The concept of the elder. Somebody who has given to that society and that community but who deserves respect and care and dignity. And, secondly, to help provide at the national level, that fundamental care structure. And that's where we go from here. We know that there are 1.3 million people within the aged care system in Australia. Home support, home care, residential aged care. And this monumental report, 8 volumes, 148 recommendations, monumental in scope, two years in construction, over 10,000 submissions, 640 witnesses, sets out some fundamental choices. And, yes, there are some alternative approaches that have been presented by the commissioners. But the central vision is of a nation where we value our elders, where we respect them, we provide care and we provide dignity. And we respond to their individual needs. That's the critical thing. We respond to their individual needs.

So it includes, as the Prime Minister said, a 5-year plan, a 5-year roadmap, ambitious, challenging, but achievable. And there are five pillars to the way in which we'll respond to this in terms of home care, quality and safety, services and sustainabilities, workforce and governance. And I'll come to those in a moment.

Just before doing that, in protecting our Australians it is important to note that today there have been zero cases of community transmission for COVID around the country. That's 31 days this year and no lives lost in 2021. An almost unthinkable collective national achievement. In terms of the rollout, we have now passed 10,070 seniors as of last night who were vaccinated in residential aged care facilities, our most frail, roughly the same number as New South Wales and almost 3 times greater than almost any other state. Facilities, over 130 facilities, and another 20 to be done at least today which will take us to well over 150 facilities and nationally over 33,700 Australians who were vaccinated but with the numbers to significantly step up during the course of this week.

So then that brings me to our initial, as the Prime Minister said, response, with the full response to the 148 recommendations to come during the course of the Budget process. Firstly, in terms of home care, we will immediately act on transparency of fees and commence an audit program of over 500 facilities per year. And providers, that's a very important part of protecting our elders against any abuse. At the same time, we'll be implementing a new quality control system within home care.

Secondly, in terms of residential care, quality and safety. We will commence a process of 1,500 extra audits of facilities per year under the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner. But we will also put in place under that Commission regulation to ensure further protection against chemical and physical restraint. We will appoint a new senior restraint leader within the commission and we will extend the pharmacy program within the commission and under the department to 2025.

In terms of residential aged care, services and sustainability, our third pillar. We will, exactly as the commissioners have recommended, immediately extend the viability supplement, the 30 per cent uplift to the 30th of June as an interim measure whilst we prepare our response to the Budget. But the Prime Minister has indicated that this is an immediate measure today but there will be a long-term solution set out in the Budget. That's the equivalent of $760 per metropolitan resident and $1,145 per rural and remote resident. We will also put in place a targeted fund to support providers facing stress.

Fourth. In terms of our fourth pillar, workforce, with regards to skills, we will make available immediately for 18,000 places to supplement those which have already been brought in for new home care and residential care workers to be trained because if we can lift those numbers, we lift the places that we offer. And that is a critical step forward. And then finally in terms of governance. We have accepted the Royal Commission's request to respond in full by the 31st of May. We will begin a governance training and funding program for, we expect, 3,700 senior leaders across boards and senior executives.

We will put in place a new Aged Care Act. And that will be a significant process but it's based on a simple concept of respect for the individual. Instead of being about providers, instead of it being about money, it's about respect for the individual needs and that is the fundamental generational transformation.

And so I'll finish where I started. As a son who has watched this process, as a son who watched his father pass just days before we came into government, I want to thank all of those who have been involved in the commission, in particular our Commissioners Pagone, Briggs, and of course Commissioner Tracey who passed during the course of it. To thank our carers and our nurses, our doctors, our cooks and our cleaners and everybody involved in taking care of our older Australians, our time is now.

PRIME MINISTER: Richard? Richard is just going to say one or two things and then I’ll get to questions.

SENATOR THE HON RICHARD COLBECK, MINISTER FOR AGED CARE SERVICES: Thanks, PM. Thanks, Greg. Can I just start by thanking Commissioners Pagone, Briggs and Tracey for their work over the last couple of years in the preparation of this important report. As both the Prime Minister and Greg have said, it is a once in a generation opportunity to create real change in the way that aged care is provided in this country.

Can I also thank all of those who've submitted to the Royal Commission, particularly the families and the residents who have told us their stories. The Prime Minister said when the commission was called that we were going to hear some really, really hard things, and we have and, unfortunately, we continue to do that, which is what really drives me in wanting to fundamentally reform the way that we deliver aged care in this country. The thing that being in this portfolio has done, the thing that being in the process of the Royal Commission has done is, from my point of view, is to make me fundamentally question the whole way that we deliver aged care in this whole country and go back to first step fundamentals in looking at what we should be doing if we're building a new system. It is the stories and sitting down with family and loved ones and listening to them, usually in tears, talking about the loss of dignity that their family member has suffered as a part of living within the system which is driving my ambition with respect to this reform process.

So thank you to all of those families, A) who have submitted to the Royal Commission, but to those who have sat down opposite me at the desk to talk about it. I said when we received the interim report that the report would put us all on notice, and it did. It put the Government on notice, it put the aged care sector on notice and it put the Australian community on notice. It talked about the fact there has been a lot of cans kicked down the road in aged care for 20 years by successive governments and the attitude of the community more generally to senior Australians isn't what we want it to be. I think we now stand in a situation where we have the opportunity to change all of those things. Both the Prime Minister and Greg have reflected on that.

It's now our role to engage with the sector and Australians to commence that reform process. Minister Hunt has indicated that we've made a number of initial response measures today just in the same way that we've responded to the interim report and, particularly, the COVID report to improve the way that the system operates, and each of those responses has had an eye towards where we might go in the design of the final system. It needed to do that. The concept of continuing what's been described by the Royal Commission as an "ad hoc" approach needs to stop. We need to look at a fundamental reform of the system.

But we have continued to do the things that we've needed to do to increase the capacity of the system but also its delivery. Since ScoMo became Prime Minister we've invested $5.5 billion in over 83,000 new Home Care packages. As he said a moment ago, we are currently offering new Home Care packages to Australians at the rate of 1,200 per week out to the end of this financial year. We've put in place new quality standards, a new aged care charter of rights, we've improved medication management, we've put in place measures to reduce the number of people under the age of 65 in residential aged care, that is bearing fruit. It is making a difference and we'll continue to work in that area.

We've asked for infection control leads in every aged care facility. We've established the Workforce Industry Council and can I say I'm really delighted at the progress they've made particularly since May when their new CEO Louise came onboard. We've invested $185 million over 10 years in dementia research, and that’s off the back of $200 million that we invested when we came to Government in 2013.

And we've continued to invest in improvements to the My Aged Care website so it is easier for senior Australians and their families to navigate their way through the system. And of course last year, during COVID, we invested $1.8 billion into the COVID response. And we will have new regulations to manage restraint by the 1st of July, because we put in place a process to review the new regulations that came into force just two years ago. Those recommendations are back with us. But we also put a sunset clause into those new regulations which means that we have to have new regulations in place by the 1st of July so we continue our work as both the Prime Minister and Greg have said to reform and improve the system.

And this Royal Commission report that's been under way for more than two years now gives us, I think, a great imprimatur to do that but the opportunity, as the Prime Minister and Greg have said, to create generational change for the way that senior Australians receive aged care.

Thanks.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, this report says that one-in-three Australians in residential aged care have substandard facilities. It says that 13 to 18% of people in aged care have been assaulted, and it says the current aged care system and its weak and ineffective regulatory arrangements did not arise by accident. The move to ritualistic regulation is a natural consequence of the Government's desire to restrain expenditure in aged care. In essence, having not provided enough funding for good quality care, the regulatory arrangements could only pay lip service to the requirement that the care that was provided was of high quality, now you've been Prime Minister and Treasurer for five years or so. Do you agree this is a national disgrace and do you accept any share of responsibility over that?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, of course I do Andrew. I’ve been Prime Minister for two years and prior to that, I was Treasurer for three. I’ve been in this Cabinet since we were first elected and so our Government will take our share of the responsibility like all governments over the last 25 to 30 years, which is what the Royal Commission - that very quote that you've just referred to - was referring to governments over the last 25 years. That has been the prism, the framework in which our aged care sector has been funded and run. And while, as well-intentioned as everybody who may have served in governments, in cabinets, or in policy advice systems, or run health aged care facilities or provided support in whatever they could, despite those best intentions, those are the outcomes, Andrew. That's why I asked the question, because I could not get the assurance that the answer would be any different to that. And so, I honestly asked the question. You now have the answer. I now have the answer. And the road map that it sets out to dealing with that fundamentally seeks a shift from a constrained system that focuses on funding to providers to a needs-based system that puts the person at the centre. That is the change-

JOURNALIST: Well, how much money is required?

PRIME MINISTER: No government has done that. No government has done that in the last 30 years. And that is what the Royal Commission has found. And, as a result, it requires some very significant change to how these arrangements are put in place, everything from governments and data, and standards, to training, to the resource that is made available and how we support that within our community. This is a challenge to all of us. So, yes, the findings of this commission work is as shocking as I feared it would be and, frankly, expected it to be. But knowing that, I still called it and, knowing that, I'm standing here before you today saying we propose to deal with it. Now, that's going to be a difficult task because over my time we've increased funding from $13 billion to $24 billion. In my own time as Prime Minister, over $5 billion of extra funding into Home Care. In the time of our Government, everything from charters of Rights to Aged Care Quality Standards and commissioners, and cops on the beat, and specialist service outreach, and all of these things have been done, yet still - yet still - these outcomes are still not being achieved.

JOURNALIST: How much money is required, Prime Minister, and why only one volume released today? Aren't there eight?

PRIME MINISTER: There are eight. And all eight are being released.

JOURNALIST: [Inaudible]

PRIME MINISTER: Of course we’ll release all eight.

JOURNALIST: How much money is required?

PRIME MINISTER: This is, the answer to that question is not known at this point, Andrew. And the Royal Commission doesn't know what the answer as yet. And what the Royal Commission has found is that is an assessment that has never been undertaken based on a needs-based model.

JOURNALIST: Given that, Prime Minister, [inaudible] required to fix it?

PRIME MINISTER: I'm absolutely committed to taking this report and addressing the issues that are raised in this report and to finding the best way for us to achieve that. That's what we have to do. It won't be easy. And as I said it’s going to test everything from our Budget to everything else. But, you know, in this country we have a needs-based system of healthcare. In this country we don't have a needs-based system of aged care. No government has done that ever - ever - and the result of that is what we read in this report today. That's why I say that generational change is now required. When I became Prime Minister, there were a range of arguments as to why Royal Commissions hadn't been pursued before. I didn't accept them. And I called one. So here we are, ready to go.

JOURNALIST: Does it concern you that some of the recommendations [inaudible] argued are pretty basic recommendations. Does that concern you?

PRIME MINISTER: Of course it concerns me. Of course it does. That's why it fuels my passion for the response.

JOURNALIST: The fact that the commissioners have slightly different recommendations-

PRIME MINISTER: Yep.

JOURNALIST: How are you going to commit to addressing the recommendations? How do you avoid that pick and choose approach, you know?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, we will exercise our considered judgement. We will work with the sector. The fact that the commissioners have come to different views I think highlights the complexity of this problem. See I, this is my trust of the Australian people. Our issues that we have to deal with are very complex and difficult in government. I don't think Australians think this is easy to fix. If it was, then someone would have done it a long time ago. I can tell you, plenty of people have tried in the past and they haven't succeeded. And they've done with the best of intentions. So I'm not standing here today, making judgements about my predecessors I'm not making judgements about previous governments. I'm simply saying that we are where we are right now and I think Australians understand how complicated this because a lot of them have had to deal with it. They've had to deal with the DAT payments and the RADs and all of these things and try and make choices that the fact there isn't star rating processes on quality, things like that, and they've had to sit down in family meetings like I've had and try to understand how the system works and how you can get the best support and care for your family member or someone you're providing care to. So I think they get that this is really complicated. I think Australians get that we have difficult tasks that we have and knotty problems that we have to deal with. I think they get that and so now, through this report, that I commissioned effectively on their behalf, they now expect us rightly to go and address what's here and to fashion our response and come back with how we can put it into place.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what's your number one priority to improve quality and safety for older Australians both at home and in aged care facilities?

PRIME MINISTER: There's one thing that I think pretty much sums up the whole approach and that is the person to whom you're seeking to provide care has to be at the centre. That's the nub of this. That their dignity, that their care, that their respect for them as a human being and a fellow Australian has to sit at the centre. Now, that's not a glib statement. That's a statement with great policy power behind it. And that's the sort of thing that should be enshrined in the Act, as the Royal Commission has recommended. That's what should be guiding every director on every governance board of an aged care facility in the country and every other service provider. That's what should be governing every policy official in the country, whether they're working in pricing of these through a pricing authority or a quality care cop on the beat, or, indeed, people working in our offices dealing with the challenges of these issues every day. Putting that Australian at the centre is the fundamental change to this system. Now, you might think, "Well, why hasn't that always been the case?" Fair question. But I can tell you the way the system has been designed, this Royal Commission demonstrates that that's not how it's worked and that's what we need to change.

JOURNALTIST: Did you know about the claim of the historical rape...

PRIME MINISTER: I'm dealing with aged care right now. Happy to deal with other issues but let's talk aged care.

JOURNALIST: This report was delivered last Friday. You gave us half-an-hour to attend a press conference. You tabled the report while we were here. How can we ask questions to know what's relevant in the report without knowing what's in it?

PRIME MINISTER: There will be plenty of opportunities to ask many questions. This isn’t the only day I’ll be standing before you on this. Today I’m here telling Australia we have released the Royal Commission. We commissioned it.

JOURNALIST: That's a spin tactic isn't it, Prime Minister?

PRIME MINISTER: No, with great respect, this report is not about the media. This report is about Australians and their care. I am releasing the Royal Commission report. There are 8 volumes, 8 volumes and I would encourage you to digest all of them. And on occasion, after occasion, after occasion, I have no doubt that you will quiz me on every element of it. You will ask me every appropriate question and I’ll be happy to answer them. Today is the day for us telling Australia that it is released. There'll be plenty of other opportunities.

JOURNALIST: This is a major social reform and you've stopped us from actually looking at the report. Is that because you've got two Commissioners who disagree on the reforms and the way forward?

PRIME MINISTER: No. I don't understand the question.

JOURNALIST: The Commissioners are split on a number of fundamental reforms.

PRIME MINISTER: Because it is a complicated issue.

JOURNALIST: So which of the reports and recommendations would you take onboard?

PRIME MINISTER: That's what we'll consider and include that in our response.

JOURNALIST: Isn't it a problem that you've got a Royal Commission blueprint [inaudible].

PRIME MINISTER: No I think it's a problem that people think this is so simple. We can't be glib about these issues and that they're simple to do with. I'm not surprised they are. I'm not surprised that people with that level of experience who have poured over this, heart and soul, for years, and then still in coming to understand what the way forward is there'll be difference of views. That does not surprise me. And I don't think it surprises Australians who've had to deal with this system either. These are knotty problems, they're hard to solve.

JOURNALIST: Does it concern you that after two years they can't come up with a figure as what you need to spend as you've just characterised it. I haven't read the whole report.

PRIME MINISTER: No, it’s a heavy read. There is much more for me still to pour through. It's eight volumes. There is a lot further to go as we delve into this. Again, Andrew, it doesn't surprise me because this is a hard issue. And I think we're being unrealistic to think that everybody is going to come to one point of agreement on the way forward. If it was that simple, then governments would have done this years ago. It's not that simple. Things have changed. Even in the time that we've been undertaking this Royal Commission, in the time as my time as Prime Minister and, indeed, Treasurer, where aged care services will be, I believe, provided in the future, substantively, overwhelmingly, particularly over time, will not be in facilities. They'll be in people's homes. And there will be a range of supports that are provided. Not unlike how you see individual care packages developed for people under the NDIS, and that people will get tailored, individualised care plans for them and the supports they need. The Royal Commission talks of everything from allied health to dental and oral care and all of these issues, including community supports, and engagement in activities outside of their home and how that form parts of their package. The technology, I've seen this, particularly when I've gone into disability accommodation homes and I've seen the revolution that is taking place for people living with disabilities so they can live as functionally as they possibly can and have as many choices as the rest of us. That can transform the delivery of aged care, and Commissioner Briggs in particular makes that point on many occasions. That's how I see aged care evolving into the future. Individualised, tailored, using every bit of technology, with a more qualified and more experienced workforce that is larger than it is today - much larger than it is today because, frankly, it has to be. Because if it's not, they cannot provide the care that a needs-based system demands.

JOURNALIST: The Commissioners disagree on two fundamental issues - funding and regulation. We already know that the Government supports what Commissioner Briggs is suggesting…

PRIME MINISTER: How do you know that?

JOURNALIST: Because the Government has already responded to the Royal Commission in a...

PRIME MINISTER: I'm sorry, the Government has made no decisions on the findings on this report. So it is simply incorrect for you to suggest that.

JOURNALIST: The Department of Health and the regulator put a submission in…

PRIME MINISTER: I'm the Prime Minister. This is my Minister. Our Cabinet will decide our response to this Royal Commission, OK? So we've released it. I think I’ve answered your question, thank you.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, after reading the documents sent to you regarding the allegations against one of your cabinet ministers, what was your reaction?

PRIME MINISTER: Have we finished with the aged care questions?

JOURNALIST: No we haven't finished with the aged care questions.

PRIME MINISTER: OK let's keep going if there are aged care questions.

JOURNALIST: I'm asking about the 100,000 [inaudible] for the Home Care packages. Only 57,000 have been released.

PRIME MINISTER: We're releasing aged care for Home Care places at a rate of 1200 a week. I said over $5.5 billion additional funding has been put into those places and that is some 85,000 additional places. I want to ensure that we continue to work through to get those in home aged care packages to people as quickly and as safely as possible. We have to be careful that in delivering those in home aged care places that we do it at a pace where that sector can deliver those places. If we are providings places that are going to be delivered by care workers that don't have the requisite training or skills then I think that could be very dangerous. And so we will work at the pace where we can deliver those in home aged care places to people as quickly and as safely as we possibly can, which is exactly what we've been seeking to do over these past few years in particular.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, better safety and higher quality [inaudible] providers have estimated about $20 billion extra funding per year will be needed. How much can the Government afford and how much are you willing to pay?

PRIME MINISTER: These are very very early questions, and the answers to those questions will be worked through with the Government as we develop our response. We will do that very carefully and we will do it with the support of all the full offices of the Government in particular the Treasury and the Department of Finance, and the various mechanisms, there are mechanisms that are highlighted in this report itself and we'll consider pulling together our comprehensive and well considered response but today I am not giving you our response. We have announced a series of measures $450 million in total that deals with many of the significant issues highlighted in the Royal Commission but this is an initial announcement to correspond with the release of the report. Our comprehensive response will come in the course of the Budget.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the providers are obviously at the centre of aged care and the report highlights practices before providers. Given that, do you expect some providers will be forced out of Australia's market if you completely implement the recommendations?

PRIME MINISTER: Aged care is about the people receiving the care. That's what it's about. That's all that it is about. And I want care providers - care providers who provide quality care, and who can do that, and to do it well and to do it consistently and with the trust of the people they're providing it to, and the consistency. And that's who should be in the aged care system.

JOURNALIST: Do you believe that there should be mandatory qualifications for aged care workers Do you think they need [inaudible] qualification?

PRIME MINISTER: I've seen that recommendation. There are a number of recommendations, for example, the suggestion of carers' leave, which I must admit I'm quite attracted to, I’ve mentioned that, in the same way that maternity and paternity leave are provided. But in relation to the qualifications I want to be confident that the range of tasks being provided are ones that are appropriately qualified. The suggestion here, of course you're referring to people with nursing, nursing ATARs, things like that to have cert 3 qualifications are there, then of course they should be there. There are other - other services that are provided as part of the aged care system, which may not require that.

JOURNALIST: You mean the personal care workers who make up 70 per cent of the workforce?

PRIME MINISTER: Not necessarily. No, I don't mean that necessarily at all. What I want to be sure of is that the people who are providing care and the services they're providing as part of that. That they're properly trained and qualified to do that. That's why I've read carefully those recommendations and will be considering them and giving them the appropriate weight that I think they genuinely deserve.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on another issue.

PRIME MINISTER: I think we're still on aged care.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, after reading the document sent to you about the allegations made against one of your Cabinet…

PRIME MINISTER: I'm still on aged care. Unless there's other aged care questions I’m happy to go-

JOURNALIST: Can you give us some kind of commitment that you will implement the 138 findings in the Royal Commission, and if not, why?
PRIME MINISTER: For a start, some of the recommendations are completely conflicting with each other. So that obviously doesn't enable me to give you that answer because some of the recommendations are completely different to each other and they set out the reasons for that. And so the Government will have to obviously work through that and consider it. What I've committed to today and the ministers have committed to today, is in direct request by the Commissioners that we do this by the middle of May, I think it was, that we do just that. The issues raised in this Royal Commission must be addressed and the fundamental issue is the generational paradigm shift that needs to take place in the way that we deliver aged care services in this country. Individually, individualised, needs-based, dignity care and respect. That's what we need to do. That's what I'm committed to doing.

JOURNALIST: How can the Australian public...

PRIME MINISTER: Sorry. I couldn’t quite hear you.

JOURNALIST: Are you convinced that the commission's report will provide a good blueprint going forward for aged care reform?

PRIME MINISTER: Yes. Yes, I am. Because it is so comprehensive. The time taken to deal with all of this won't be short. There'll be immediate-term priorities that we'll need to move on. There'll be short-term, 
there will be mid-term, there will be long-term because we're seeking to ensure that, over the generation, there is that generational shift. That's what we're seeking to achieve. Yes.

JOURNALIST: But you have two sets of recommendations from the Commissioners, they disagree with each other fundamentally. So you're going to have to decide whether recommendations you take onboard and go ahead with, aren't you?

PRIME MINISTER: Correct. That's why we're the Government.

JOURNALIST: That's why also you'll probably going to go with Lynelle Briggs, because she has already explained and the Government has also submitted, is the way forward that they want.

PRIME MINISTER: When we provide our response, that's our response. When we provide our response to all these recommendations we will address those issues.

JOURNALIST: So is this going to be another situation, isn't it, we've had 20 reports in 20 years. Now we have a Royal Commission report which was supposed to sort all of this out, we'd have a clear blueprint. 
Now you've got two conflicting reports about the way forward. Isn't this going to paralyse the Government once again.

PRIME MINISTER: No. Government is complex, the world is complex, it is a complex set of issues which have given rise to those outcome which is the Royal Commission have identified in the report that I've asked them to do. I think it is glib to suggest that the fact that two very experienced Australians, in conducting their Commission, can come to some different views on how to deal with this problem is extraordinary. It's not. It's real. As Prime Minister I’ve got, I think it's the contrary, isn't it...I think it just highlights how complex this is.

JOURNALIST: It's less than ideal, isn't it?

PRIME MINISTER: It's real, Andrew, and I have to deal with what's real. I have got to deal with the real situation in aged care. When I asked the question, through the Royal Commission, I didn't centre a preset notion of how they would come back and what they would say but I am pleased that they have been as honest and candid and comprehensive, and compassionate, and fulsome in their responses they've been and they've been as up-front about it, including where they have differences. I think Australians are big enough to deal with this complexity. I know my Government is. And that's what we'll be doing. So…

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, last year you rejected the accusation that the Morrison Government didn't have a COVID plan for aged care. But one of the recommendations in the report is for your Government to establish a national plan for aged care and COVID. So, what happened? Did you have a plan or not?

PRIME MINISTER: Greg?

THE HON. GREG HUNT MP, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGED CARE: I'll deal with that. In fact, we had six stages, the first of the elements was in February.

JOURNALIST: But why the recommendation to establish...

THE HON. GREG HUNT MP, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGED CARE: I think you'll find that that was in the interim report. There were six stages to what we..

JOURNALIST: COVID happened after the interim report.

THE HON. GREG HUNT MP, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGED CARE: No, no, no, this is the COVID interim report.OK. To give some history, there has been an interim report, there has been a COVID report or a COVID interim report and there's been a final report and we've responded on the day of release on each occasion because we wanted to show respect to that report and to consider with immediate action. We set out and, indeed, Professor Murphy, in evidence to the Commission, set out the six stages of the plan and then we subsequently put out a further element. So that was very clearly set out, I think, by Professor Murphy including, of course, the extraordinary work which was done by the AHPPC, by the medical advisers in laying this out in February, in March, in April, and in three subsequent iterations.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, JobKeeper costs $100 billion and that's the biggest program ever. If you're in a position where you're going to have to give aged care up to $20 billion a year from now on in, it's a pretty big hole, isn't it?
PRIME MINISTER: What I'd say is that the fiscal elements of our response to this package have not been framed yet, they haven't. So I'm not going to make any assumptions about the figures that you've quoted. I know, I've seen plenty of figures out there, Andrew...

JOURNALIST: Do you think that's outlandish?

PRIME MINISTER: I’m going to wait to see the figures that Treasury and Finance provide in terms of our response and that always comes through the disciplined process of the Budget. I've sat around...

JOURNALIST: Isn't the disciplined process the reason we have this problem? I mean, that's what I've just read from the report.

PRIME MINISTER: No, that…

JOURNALIST: Of course there has to be a process…

PRIME MINISTER: You've just thrown some numbers at me and I'm saying I haven't got any official numbers from Treasury or Finance yet and they're the figures I'll focus on when we make our response.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, after reading...

PRIME MINISTER: Hang on. I know it is a public of topic of public discussion. We are releasing a report into aged care with one in three people have been found to have received substandard care and that deeply distresses me. And the point has been raised that I don't want to answer questions about aged care. I am answering questions on it. And I think we should answer the questions about aged care. I will get to the issue. I'm here, I’m not going anywhere. I'm happy to address them. It is another important issue, I acknowledge that but aged care has our focus just for this moment.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the person being at the centre of care can actually be problematic. For instance, sometimes it could be used to justify excessive force or the use of antipsychotics. We have seen that alot in aged care. How will you ensure that this idea of person centred-care isn’t used to justify excessive force being used on a person?

PRIME MINISTER: I wouldn't agree with your proposition. I just wouldn't link those two statements together. That's not certainly what's being suggested to me either through the commission or the other advice I’ve received. I would say quite the opposite. I would say that putting the individual at the centre and their wellbeing and their ability to live every second of their life would suggest against the inappropriate use of chemical restraints I would say. The Royal Commission has been very, very vigorous in their recommendations on chemical restraints and we've already taken action on those which I know commissioners have already welcomed.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister it is problematic when someone can’t make a decision for themselves?

JOURNALIST: [Inaudible]

PRIME MINISTER: I’ll come back to that, I’m happy to do, sorry?

JOURNALIST: What's your response to the fact that the Royal Commission has said that the Government has failed aged care, the aged care sector during the pandemic?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I don't, I don't believe that's the case. And we've set out our reasons for that. And the performance for our aged care system when you look at it internationally during the course of this pandemic has been one of the world stand-outs. So that is the Government's view. But to come back to the question that was asked in relation to people being able to make individual choices, one of the reasons I think we've been able to make a lot of progress in the National Disability Insurance Scheme is the advocate's role that is played in this process. One of the I think very good, recommendations in this report is a similar network of pathfinders, if you like, through the aged care system, quite a large network of them, that is there to assist people and their carers and others to make decisions in the best interests of the individual that they love and care for. I think that's a very useful recommendation. We've seen that work very well in the NDIS. I've got to tell you, that there are a lot of parallels in how we can make the aged care system work with how we've made the NDIS work. We've come up to a scale of some 450,000 or thereabouts people now on the NDIS and there’s been a lot of lessons learnt in how we’ve got that point, and one of the key things has been about the individualised care plans, that have been put in place to support [inaudible] had to develop those plans and then to consistently build the workforce and the accountability about the delivery of those plans. So my point about that is this is possible. We are already doing it in another part of our service delivery for those living with disabilities. So this can be achieved. But we've got to get the settings right for how we do that in aged care. That's quite, I've got to say, for the sector, quite a transformation from where they have been up until this point. It is quite a transformation for how the government system has worked up until this point. That's why the settings through a new Act need to be fundamentally reset for the generation of change we're looking for.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you said that person-centred care is the way forward. That's your new policy. That's been the policy for the past 10 years in aged care.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, no it hasn't.

JOURNALIST: It hasn't?

PRIME MINISTER: I'm sorry. The Royal Commission has just found that that's not true.

JOURNALIST: Well, they may not be delivering person-centred care but that has actually been the policy…

PRIME MINISTER: Well, it hasn't been effective and that is what the Royal Commission has said. It has said that the Act hasn't put, that the system hasn't put the individual at the centre, and I agree with them.

JOURNALIST: The extra funds required, how much do you think will be user pays and how much from the taxpayer?

PRIME MINISTER: These are not matters we're not in a position to respond to yet, Andrew. As I said our response will be developed and prepared as part of the Budget process.

JOURNALIST: One of the biggest problems has been the [inaudible] of the regulator, [inaudible] Tony Pagone wants an independent watchdog away from Government, and Lynelle Briggs wants to stick with the Government regulator. Considering it is so [inaudible] and has [inaudible] What is your opinion? Are you going to stick with Lynelle Briggs recommendation or [inaudible]?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, the answer is the same. And that is, that is a matter we will consider as we pull together our comprehensive response to the whole Royal Commission report and we haven't concluded on that matter as we've just received the report. So I think to suggest that we would have quickly formed a view about that in a matter of days I don’t think is realistic.

JOURNALIST: [inaudible] because it's in the Department of Health's submission to the Royal Commission.

PRIME MINISTER: The Department of Health is not the Minister. It is not the Prime Minister. It is not the Cabinet. It is a Government department that has expressed views to the Royal Commission along the way. Government policy is set by the Government,

JOURNALIST: [Inaudible]?

PRIME MINISTER: It is the view of the department. I receive advice from departments quite often and have over the course of my ministerial career which I haven't agreed with. That doesn't make it government policy. It becomes government policy when Cabinet agree it. You've been a journalist for some time. You'd know that.

JOURNALIST: So you're not opposed to an independent watchdog away from [inaudible]?

PRIME MINISTER: I’m open to the recommendations that have been put forward in the Royal Commission and we are going to carefully consider them all and exercise our judgement about the best way to go forward on all of these things, consistent with the principle of individual-based, needs-based care for older Australians.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, part of the recommendations that the commissioners actually agree on is the need to introduce a levy [inaudible] aged care, [inaudible]

PRIME MINISTER: They do.

JOURNALIST: [Inaudible] Will you commit to that?

PRIME MINISTER: Look, we'll consider those things. You know our gin to. In fact as Treasurer I once sought to increase the Medicare levy by half a per cent to provide support to the National Disability Insurance Scheme and I wasn't supported in that by the Labor Party, or the Greens for that matter. So that's something that I've seen in other contexts that the parliament hasn't supported before. So you'd forgive me for being a little wary at this point.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, have you asked the Cabinet Minister who is accused of, or the subject of allegations aired by the ABC, of rape allegations, have you asked him if he denies those allegations?

PRIME MINISTER: Yes, I have and he absolutely does. Categorically.

JOURNALIST: When did that occur?

PRIME MINISTER: That occurred last week, last week I became aware of a set of documents that had been circulated to, I think four individuals. I was told that I was one of those individuals. At the time my office or I hadn't received those materials but I was aware that at least one of those members had. And they informed me that they had relayed that to the Federal Police through the AFP Liaison Officer. I had some discussions that night, I still hadn't received our copy until late Friday afternoon. And consistent with the actions as the others who received those materials, we forwarded those on through my office to the AFP as well. They were, as I understand it, they were identical materials. I had a discussion with the Commissioner last week, about these matters, and I also has a discussion with the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and the Deputy Secretary, about these issues and I had a discussion with the individual, as I said, who absolutely rejects these allegations. And so after having spoken to the commissioner and to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of my Department at this stage, there are no matters that require my immediate attention.

JOURNALIST: Do you believe him? Do you believe the allegation to be false?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, that is a matter for the police. See, I'm not the Commissioner of Police,

JOURNALIST: That's not the point, though, is it?

PRIME MINISTER: No, I'm sorry, it is actually. It is. Allegations of criminal conduct should be dealt with by competent and authorised agencies, and that,

JOURNALIST: You must believe him otherwise you wouldn't-

PRIME MINISTER: Andrew, give me the courtesy of actually answering you. It is the police, in a country where you're governed by the rule of law, that determine the veracity of any allegations of this nature. It is the police. My office, I, do not have the people or others who are trained or competent or authorised to invest matters of this nature. The police are the ones who do that. And the police have had this matter referred to them. The individual involved here has vigorously rejected these allegations. And so, it's a matter for the police. And in my discussions with the Commissioner, there were nothing immediate that he considered that was necessary for me to take any action on.

JOURNALIST: But, Prime Minister, you would know that without this complainant alive, the police cannot conduct an investigation. So what actions are you going to take as the Prime Minister to send a message that you are looking into this situation?

PRIME MINISTER: By referring it to the Federal Police, which is exactly what I and the other three persons who received this information did. Now it is with the Federal Police. There are other jurisdictions that potentially could be involved here. And the Federal Police Commissioner will advise me of the status of those things when he is in a position to do so.

JOURNALIST: When you were sent those documents, and you read through them what was your reaction?

PRIME MINISTER: To send it to the Federal Police to ensure that I understood in a country where the rule of law applies that they could be properly assessed.

JOURNALIST: [inaudible] Sorry can I just clarify, you haven’t actually read through these documents yourself, given the seriousness of these allegations, why haven’t you read [inaudible]?

PRIME MINISTER: I'm aware of the contents of them. I've been briefed on the contents of them. And it was appropriate, as the Commissioner himself advised all of us in the Parliament, to refer any allegations to the proper authorities. That is the way, in our country, under the rule of law things like this are dealt with. And it is important to ensure that we uphold that. That is the way our society operates. Now, these are very distressing issues that have been raised, and as there are other issues that have been raised in relation to other members and other cases. But the proper place for that to be dealt is by the authorities, which are the police. That's how our country operates. That system protects all Australians.

JOURNALIST: So you won’t be ordering an inquiry on this?

PRIME MINISTER: I'm not the police force. I have given it to the police to investigate.

JOURNALIST: A question for the Health Minister if possible, on the COVID, on the vaccine,

JOURNALIST: Sorry to finish this off-

JOURNALIST: It’s a difficult situation for you though,

JOURNALIST: When, when did you first hear about the letter last week?

PRIME MINISTER: Wednesday, evening.

JOURNALIST: Wednesday. And you spoke with the minister [Inaudible]?

PRIME MINISTER: Wednesday evening.

JOURNALIST: And AFP Commissioner?

PRIME MINISTER: Wednesday evening.

JOURNALIST: And had you heard about these claims at all before last week?

PRIME MINISTER: No, not really of any substance, no.

JOURNALIST: What had you heard if not of substance?

PRIME MINISTER: Only rumours of an ABC investigative journalist making some inquiries. That's all I'd heard. I didn't know the substance of them.

JOURNALIST: Did you know who it was about when you heard those rumours or when you heard vaguely about [inaudible]?

PRIME MINISTER: I tend to not pay attention to rumours.

JOURNALIST: Was the rumour of alleged rape [inaudible]?

PRIME MINISTER: Well I wasn't aware of the substance of it and as a result not in really a position to pursue it. When I was put in a position to pursue it, I did.

JOURNALIST: Sorry, Prime Minister, this was the trigger for the Reece Kershaw letter, presumably? [Inaudible]?

PRIME MINISTER: I spoke to the Commissioner that night and I think it's important that these events of the last fortnight or so I think have triggered a lot of very strong feelings and views, and experiences that people may have had and I discussed this with the Commissioner. And he and I agreed that it was important that people understand that where these things arise, there is a proper process for dealing with these things and that proper process is what he outlined in that letter and that process is not new. That process was the standing process. So there was no change in the process. But given that these issues had the potential to be raised in many ways, potentially because of, you know, of how this can occur in situations like this, the Commissioner believed that it was important, as did I, that people understand that when dealing with such sensitive matters, that they need to be dealt with in the proper way, which is to refer them to the proper

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Laura Jayes:

I want to bring in now Richard Colbeck. He’s the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services. Before I get to the Royal Commission, I’m after your reaction to that story there. There seems a direct link between an increase in the JobSeeker payments in the midst of the pandemic and an increase in gambling, domestic violence, and alcohol abuse, particularly in the Northern Territory, but right across Australia. Is this an unintended consequence that your Government failed to take into account?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, it’s clearly a concern. This is the first report that I’ve seen of it, but obviously, it’s those sorts of things that we have to consider when we’re looking at what payments we’re making to Australians and how that should be managed. So, clearly a concern and potentially an unintended consequence.

Laura Jayes:

Is this always the danger in rolling out stimulus when you have these economic and health shocks that you’re always going to have these unintended consequences? I mean, we saw it during the GFC, didn’t we?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, look, it's important that the Government did what it needed to do to support the community and the economy during COVID, and we made some very conscious decisions in relation to that. It had to be done quickly. It had to be done broadly. And I think that the overall benefits of what we did well and truly outweigh any other consequences, and we've seen that more broadly across the economy. But it just goes to show how careful you need to be when you're making these broader considerations, including the decisions that we made last week with respect to what social support levels should be.

Laura Jayes:

So does that say really, with these unintended consequences, that the Government wasn't careful enough then?

Richard Colbeck:

No. We had to make some very, very quick decisions to make sure that the national economy more broadly and the community was supported. We did that. We needed to do that. And as I've said, I think that the benefits well and truly outweigh any other circumstances that have arisen. We've seen a very strong recovery in the economy. We saw strong saving levels across the economy from Australians more broadly. We've seen some elements of the economy do exceptionally well through COVID-19, and that's because of the measures that we put in place. But of course, we also need to be aware of other elements that might occur as a part of those decisions, and it appears, based on the reports that you've just shown, that this may be one.

Laura Jayes:

Okay. We'll pursue that as well, but let's get to the Aged Care Royal Commission. You’ve been in government for eight years. What has this Government fixed?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I mean, the Royal Commission report talks about successive governments of all political persuasions over a long period of time, basically kicking cans down the road. It's time to pick those cans up. It's time for fundamental reform. That's why Prime Minister Morrison called the Royal Commission as one of his first acts on coming to the leadership. We've had two years now of Royal Commission considering the issues, we received the recommendations last week - released obviously yesterday, along with an initial package to demonstrate our attention to some of the initial issues that we need to address. And, of course, we’ll more fully respond to the Royal Commission in the budget, and we've already said that we'll accept the Royal Commission's request for a response to Parliament by the end of May. So, there is a series of actions that have already commenced, starting with the 450 odd million dollars that we announced yesterday across the five pillars of the Royal Commission response.

Laura Jayes:

But back to my question. You have been in government for eight years. The Royal Commission says this really started- the problem started in earnest back when John Howard was the Prime Minister. So there is a huge responsibility for your government, is there not? What have you fixed in the last eight years, or do you concede it's just got worse?

Richard Colbeck:

No, I don't concede it's got worse. In fact, we've had a considerable measure of reform that's being undertaken while the Royal Commission continued. The Royal Commission said at the outset that they didn't want to see- have to conduct a Royal commission in moving target, but there were some things that needed to be done. So, in the last two years, for example, so since 2000- mid-2019, we've introduced new resident centred quality standards for the aged care sector. We've introduced an aged care charter of rights. We've put in place new regulations around medication management, and there'll be new regulations from the 1st of July because we made a commitment when the regs came in for medical constraint- a restraint, that we'd review those regulations. We've done that. And that we put a sunset clause on the regulations, meaning that we'll have to revise them by the 1st of July this year. All that work continues.

Laura Jayes:

[Talks over] Minister, all that said and that work done, I mean, it's done nothing, has it? Because one in three people is still receiving substandard care with all these reforms that you list off.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I don't accept it’s done nothing because we know, for example- and we're now looking to measure that with respect to medical restraint and physical restraint. So we have a physical restraint quality indicator that's been measured since 2019. As of the 1st of July this year, we’ll have a medication quality indicator that we'll be putting in place. So we've continued to reform. We've continued to change the way that the system operates. But what the Royal Commission has said to us, now, it's time for a more fundamental and generational change in the way that the system operates. We’re looking very closely at that.

Laura Jayes:

[Talks over] And you didn't know that before? You didn't know that before this Royal Commission? You didn't know that generational reform was required, a fundamental shift?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, clearly, as the Royal Commission’s commenced, we've been watching it closely. We looked at the counsel assisting’s draft recommendations to the commissioners that were released in October last year. They formed part of our thinking with respect to our response to the Royal Commission. But having called the Royal Commission, which the Prime Minister did as one of his first acts, I think it was incumbent on us to understand exactly what the commissioners were going to say. They provided that report to us on Friday. We've now commenced our intense consideration of those recommendations, and there are some decisions for us to make, given that there are different recommendations from the commissioners with respect to some aspects of the reform. And then, the task is to commence the implementation process.

And the Prime Minister’s committed to doing that. I think that’s appropriate. We set in place a process to have a forensic review of the entire aged care system. We’ve done that. We’ve received the report. And now it’s our responsibility to implement the reforms that are required off the back of that.

Laura Jayes:

Okay. But what- but in the meantime, what do you suggest happens to the one in three Australians that are receiving substandard care? Do they just put up with it?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, of course, they shouldn’t and the expectation from all of us is that the sector provides high quality care. There are reforms required to do that, a number of reforms that the Royal Commission…

Laura Jayes:

[Talks over] So when do things change, Minister? When do things change?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, they will commence changing straight away because we continue to reform the sector. But as the Royal Commission stated, this is not a simple process. It won’t take a short period of time. And there are a number of things that we need to put in place to give effect to those reforms. They themselves will take some time…

Laura Jayes:

[Talks over] Okay. But there’s many elderly Australians watching-

Richard Colbeck:

…including a new Aged Care Act which we’ve committed to do. So, [indistinct]-

Laura Jayes:

[Talks over] Okay. But there’s many elderly Australians watching today and watching this program who have got grandparents or parents in aged care. They’re hearing these reports and they’ve seen it upfront, of spending hours in soiled underwear, going days without showers, being forgotten when it comes to food service. What do they do in the meantime? Are the just going to have to put up with that?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we continue to do- to implement the reforms that A) that we’ve commenced, and B) that have been recommended by the Royal Commission. So, as I’ve said, we haven’t sat idle while the Royal Commission has been going through its process. We’ve continued to reform a new set of quality of standards. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission didn’t exist before the Royal Commission started. That organisation has-

Laura Jayes:

[Talks over] Sure. But Minister, I want to get to this on a human level.

Richard Colbeck:

[Interrupts] Well-

Laura Jayes:

I want to talk about, you know, we’re talking about aged care centres now. I mean, on a human level, are you comfortable sitting here knowing that all those things that I just listed off are going on today in aged care homes, and that, as of today, has not changed? When will it?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, no, I'm not comfortable, Laura. In fact, I've become increasingly frustrated and concerned at the continued reports that come out of the sector. It really does distress me, like it distresses family members. But that's why I'm determined to undertake the reforms that have come out of this comprehensive process. That's why the Prime Minister called the Royal Commission in the first place, because he wasn't getting the answers that he wanted when he asked the questions about the sector. And so it is now our responsibility to get on with those reforms. It's not an overnight exercise. Just because we’ve received the report, doesn't mean things change immediately. And there’s-

Laura Jayes:

[Interrupts] Well, no, it's a big shift to turn around and you've committed, as a down payment, $452 million. The sector, according to the report, is underfunded by- to the tune of about $10 billion a year. That's a long way. That's a big gap to fill. I mean, are we going to see $10 billion a year spent in the budget? Because that's what's required.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, you'll see what's required to be spent in the budget, but one of the measures that we announced yesterday was a continuation of increased funding to the aged care sector. But one of the other things the Royal Commission has said and a number of experts have said as part of that process, that we shouldn't be just giving money to the sector without accountability. I agree with that. We need to put that accountability in place and rules. But to do that, we need to build the systems to do it, and we will do that. And those things are all going to be important. So the underpinning of the sector with appropriate levels of funding, staffing, training for it, for workforce, all of those things are going to have to be put in place. Some of them are going to take some time. The Royal Commission talked about a five-year timeframe, but some things can be done more quickly. And we will continue with the reforms like, for example, the serious incident response scheme that starts in- just in one month, so 1st of April, which we legislated over Christmas.

Laura Jayes:

Would you put your elderly relatives in an aged care home, at the moment?

Richard Colbeck:

I have elderly relatives in aged care facilities at the moment, Laura, and fortunately, they're having a good experience. The tragic thing is that for some people, the experience is not a good experience. There are a lot of Australians who are getting a good experience in residential aged care, in particular in the country. But there are those and that's been highlighted by the Royal Commission that are not and that's not acceptable. We need to change that. And that's the point of the Prime Minister calling the Royal Commission in the first place, to get the answers that he wasn't getting, and then to implement the reforms that will turn that around.

Laura Jayes:

But can you say when? Months, years? When will it be fixed?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, Laura, as I've said to you, we have been continuing to reform the sector to improve…

Laura Jayes:

[Talks over] You’ve had eight years, Minister.

Richard Colbeck:

…the delivery of care while the Royal Commission situation has been going well.

Laura Jayes:

Forgive my cynicism.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I can understand your cynicism because when we continue to hear reports of poor quality care, it exacerbates that cynicism and it distresses all of us, it really does. But we need- but it's not going to be an overnight exercise. It would be irresponsible of me to promise that it will be. But we will continue to put in place reforms, to continue to improve the sector and particularly, a significant response to the Royal Commission's report in the budget in a few weeks’ time.

Laura Jayes:

And just finally, look, you've been in power for eight years, but you haven't always been the Aged Care Minister, but you are the Aged Care Minister at the moment. But we've failed elderly people again this week. Homes, aged care homes haven't been administered all the vaccines that's required. That's according to the New South Wales at least and some of the other states. And last week, two elderly residents were given overdoses of the vaccine. It's another example, isn't it, of us not doing the right thing by our elderly Australians?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the incident that occurred in Queensland was unacceptable, and I wouldn't blame that on the aged care sector, that was a doctor who didn't undertake the training that he should have undertaken before administering the vaccine. It should not have happened. And so that indicates a broader problem within the system more generally. But I wouldn't blame that on the aged care system. And similarly, the vaccine rollout is being undertaken and in some states it's well ahead of schedule. In some states that we're having some issues and working to bring that back into line and we’re expecting that by the end of this week, we'll be back on program to complete the rollout in six weeks. But we're in a very fortunate position in this country, Laura. We don't have COVID in the community. We're able to properly and methodically rollout and scale up the vaccination process across the country and make sure that we do it properly because we don't want more incidents like occurred in Queensland last week, occurring. There will be some logistical issues and some bumps along the way in the rollout. That's just natural. That's a human part of the process. But we will continue to do everything we can to rollout the vaccination and gradually scale it up as more vaccine becomes available. And as I said, in some states, the vaccine rollout in aged care is actually ahead of schedule. We're having some issues in certain locations around the country. We will overcome those and we will get the vaccination rollout completed to aged care facilities, protecting those who are most vulnerable first.

Laura Jayes:

Okay, Richard Colbeck, really appreciate your time as always. We'll talk again soon.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Laura.

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Matt Webber:

On other COVID-related matters, Phase 1A of the COVID-19 vaccine strategy aims to have the most vulnerable and exposed Queenslanders inoculated first. That includes, as we know, frontline healthcare and quarantine workers, as well as aged care staff and residents. The initial launch, of course, marred by a pretty significant dosage error and slower than anticipated distribution. Where are things at now, though? Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Senator Richard Colbeck joins me now. Good morning, Minister.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning Matt. How are you?

Matt Webber:

I'm going well on this soggy Wednesday here on the Gold Coast. The Prime Minister, who I'm looking at on a TV screen as I speak with you, talking about the PNG situation, he's had both of his jabs, big photo op in the Aussie Diamonds Polo as we've seen, but some of our most vulnerable and those that care for them are still waiting. Why haven't some aged care facilities received their vaccinations yet?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we've continued to roll out and ramp up the vaccination process in aged care facilities, and in fact, there are a number of residents in aged care facilities all ‘round the country, including in Queensland, who have had the second jabs. We started providing second jabs to facilities that were started in the first week. So we're now in the stage where we've ramped up the rollout but including the process of incorporating second jabs. So that process has started, will continue. And as of last night, I think we're over 500 facilities that had been visited, and well over 40,000 residents have been vaccinated around the country.

Matt Webber:

That's where things are at now, but what's the target ultimately?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we're continuing to ramp up the process, continuing to increase our capacity, looking at bringing on some additional vaccine- vaccinator contractors. So that process continues. And we’ll continue to roll it out. I think the comment that you made about the incident in the first week has brought into very sharp focus the need to continue to roll out the vaccination process safely, and that's what we’re absolutely focused on, to make sure that we get all of the residents vaccinated as soon as we possibly can and that process continues.

Matt Webber:

Senator Richard Colbeck with me. You mentioned the numbers that have been completed already, but what numbers need to be completed before this phase is done and dusted, Senator?

Richard Colbeck:

The total number of residents in aged care facilities that we’ll be looking to offer vaccinations is a touch over 180,000.

Matt Webber:

Yeah.

Richard Colbeck:

So about 183,000. So, you know, we're getting well into that now with over 40,000 that have been vaccinated. So we're getting well into it. I'm very happy with the progress and the progress of ramping up the vaccination process. Of course, an additional load comes on this week when we started doing the second visits, to do those second vaccinations, and there's been a few circumstances where somebody might not have wanted to have a vaccination in the first round. They're being picked up as we go back through the process again. So, I'm very comfortable with the way that the system is, a) ramping up, but also the feedback that I'm getting from providers, but also some of my colleagues who visited facilities as the vaccination’s been going through those particular sites. And we’re getting reports of very high acceptance rates and agreement to be vaccinated. So you're sort of talking 80, 90, 95 per cent of the residents giving consent to- or their families are giving consent to have a vaccination, and that's really good news because we want to have a very high level of vaccination to ensure that those who are – as you’ve quite rightly identified – the most vulnerable are protected.

Matt Webber:

I want to talk about that issue of consent in a moment, but first and foremost, Healthcare Australia, I think, was the contracted agency that gave the wrong dose in an aged care home in Brisbane. Are they still involved in the process?

Richard Colbeck:

Yes, they're still providing vaccinations in Queensland and in New South Wales. Obviously, we've had a pretty close look at them. Minister Hunt, I think, had some very frank conversations with them as a part of the process around that incident, which shouldn't have occurred, and I understand that the doctor has been referred by a number of authorities to the appropriate boards for review. So, again, the system that we have in this country, which is we do have a very good health system to ensure proper processes, has kicked into place, but they are still working with us, and we're in very regular contact with the providers through the department to ensure that their systems are up to date. We want to be able to get good reporting of information back to us as well. So, you know, the oversight of any particular incidents that might crop up. We're very keen to make sure that we've got good quality data around the number of people being vaccinated. So all of those things are being coordinated to make sure that we've got good information about what's occurring as the rollout progresses.

Matt Webber:

Senator Richard Colbeck with me, Minister for Senior Australians – Aged Care as well, part of his responsibilities. Why not get local doctors to administer vaccinations in aged care homes? Most of them have GPs that regularly visit. Wouldn't that be a more effective way to get things done?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we've assessed the overall process, and local GPs are going to play a very significant role in what is one of the biggest logistic exercises this country will ever undertake in vaccination of the general population. And you would have seen that we've announced the commencement of Phase 1B of the rollout starting from next week, and there's over 1100 GPs who are already registered and up and ready to start next week with that process, and that will expand to over 4000 GPs in the coming week. So they're going to have plenty of work to do as a part of this national rollout of vaccinations, and that will be ramping up as the availability of vaccine supplies continues to grow over the next three or four weeks. So GPs are going to be very heavily involved in this process appropriately. They do a significant number of vaccines for us on an annual basis with respect to the flu, so we know that they have expertise. And I have to say the uptake has been very strong from those that have registered interest as well, so there will be very significant involvement of GPs in the overall rollout of the vaccine.

Matt Webber:

Senator Richard Colbeck with me. On another matter, I caught up with Geoff Rowe earlier on this morning. He's the CEO of Aged and Disability Advocacy Australia. He had this to say, and I think it's important.

[Excerpt]

Geoff Rowe:

People aren't getting a lot of notice mainly [Indistinct] around informed consent and for old people, that's incredibly important. And then as we know the vaccinations are not mandatory, they’re voluntary, so people get to choose whether or not they want to be vaccinated. And for an older person particular someone with their cognitive impairment or some dementia, that informed consent process takes a bit longer. It's really important that they have the opportunity to talk to their GP or to talk to their families. And also that they get the information in a form that they can understand. So, potentially some really simple messaging or if someone is from a culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Yeah, English is not their first language, but potentially that information is also available in the language that they understand.

[End of Excerpt]

Matt Webber:

Geoff Rowe there from Aged and Disability Advocacy Australia. Is that something that could be improved, Minister?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, look, we've been working with the aged care providers and I talk to them every week on a phone hook-up about all of these issues. And so we've been providing them with information which they would have had now for a number of weeks. We discuss with them the time that it might take them to achieve consents. And Geoff's right, that in some circumstances, it will take a little bit longer. But that information has been with providers for quite a few weeks now, and I know that they've all been working really hard to achieve consent. They will have to, in some circumstances where someone might have a state custodianship or something of that nature have to go through to State authorities to seek out consents in those circumstances. But that certainly is an issue that we've had to manage and to deal with and we've provided material in a number of different languages so that people do have access to the information in a form that they're comfortable with. Because the- ensuring that people have this information and that it's in a format they're comfortable with so that they are comfortable to give consent is really important because the scale of the rollout and the proportion of the population that we get vaccinated is really important and particularly these vulnerable people because it is for their protection. So we're very fortunate. We’ve got two very, very good vaccines that we're using. The Pfizer vaccine is the one that's being rolled out to residents in aged care. And both it and the AstraZeneca vaccine are very, very good. So we have two great options for utilisation here in Australia.

Matt Webber:

I'm just- as you're speaking Minister, I know that the Prime Minister has been talking about the PNG situation. Obviously something of significant concern, and we’ll mine into some of the detail of this a little bit later in the programme. But he has announced suede of support for the pub- for Papua New Guinea including extra AstraZeneca doses. Where does that leave us here in Australia? Does that mean it'll slow the process down? I think 8,000 additional doses heading to PNG. Are you aware of any of the finer detail here?

Richard Colbeck:

Well look. We're in a very fortunate situation particularly with AstraZeneca. Where we’ll be-the supply into Australia will be ramping up very significantly over the next three or four weeks as the Australian manufactured product comes online. And we have in the order of 50 million doses. So 8000 in the overall scheme of things there is not really something to be concerned of. It is very important that we ensure that frontline health workers in Papua New Guinea have the appropriate protection. We need to ensure that their health system is able to cope with the circumstance that they're in. I think Australians would understand us helping out a neighbour in this circumstance. And we're also working with the global supply community in the context of Papua New Guinea as well. You would have seen during the debate over a period of time that concerns about vaccine nationalism. So it's important, I think, that we play our part in that and we're certainly working very cooperatively with other international partners to support Papua New Guinea in their efforts to ensure that they have appropriate supplies to be able to deal with the issues that they're facing.

Matt Webber:

I've appreciated your time. You've been generous with it Minister. Just one final question, before I let you go, because it's just come in on our text line from Bob in Labrador says his wife works in aged care, says the clients – I presume he means the residents there - were immunised last week, but their families were immunised before staff. The order of things is a concern for Bob. Why does it happen that way?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, clearly the most vulnerable people in the entire Australian Community are the residents in residential aged care. Tragically we've seen that, only too graphically through the second wave that went through Victoria. And in fact in in all other states where we've had outbreaks in the community. Inevitably, it will be carried by somebody from the community into residential aged care. That's why the various restrictions and are in place. So that's why we're vaccinating the residents first. Why we then go- and aged care staff form part of 1a. We will come back to them. That is important because the staff are potentially those that might carry the virus most likely into facilities and that's the experience that we've had around the country. So staff will be part of the 1a rollout. But as we are increasing supply availability, we're also opening up the opportunity for others in the community to receive the vaccine. It is a huge logistic process. We're looking to provide access to vaccines for something like 25, 26 million people. And so a) that's going to take some time. So one of the things that we're urging in the announcement today of the opening of 1b is, be patient. There’s 6 million people that form part of that 1b process, and we will get to everyone. We’re methodically working our way through this. We have the luxury, here in Australia, of being able to do it very methodically because we're not in a circumstance where we have the virus moving through the community as it is in a lot of other countries, so we can be very methodical. We can ensure that we're doing it safely and with due care and that's exactly the process that we're looking to follow.

Matt Webber:

Yeah. Bob's making the point that young family members of residents though, ahead of staff. Does that seem a little skewwhiff to you?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I'd have to take that on notice to be frank. It may be that there's- that there may have been some vaccine that's left over but- and it's being applied there, but in many circumstances where there's been vaccine left over in an aged care facility, it's then been offered to staff as part of the process where they've had doses left over. I would- unless there's a clinical reason for it being provided to others, I'd have to understand more in specifically the detail of the circumstance.

Matt Webber:

We might see if we can get those details for you. Really appreciate your time. We’ve probably had you for long enough now, we’ll let you get back to your day. Thank you, Senator.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much Matt. Cheers.

Matt Webber:

Cheers. Senator Richard Colbeck, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care. And Bob in Labrador, we’ll stay on that. That’s an interesting insight. Thank you for your question.

Close

 

E&OE...

Leon Compton:          

It's been amazing, over the past couple of nights, trying to read through and digest the findings of the Royal Commission into Aged Care. Amazing because of the breadth of reforms that were recommended in terms of administration and bureaucracy and oversight. I mean, the central philosophy of aged care was invited to be reviewed in this country. The expansion, as I say, that was recommended to improve the conditions for those falling upon the aged care system in this country was staggering. So what is the process from here?

Liberal Party Senator, Richard Colbeck, the Liberal Party Senator for Tasmania, is from this part of the state and joins us in William Street this morning. Minister, good morning to you.

Richard Colbeck:       

Morning, Leon.

Leon Compton:          

There's a big question that comes to you as you read the recommendations in this report. Even, Minister, if your Government was competent to drive the reforms recommended, the massive reforms by the royal commission, ideologically, how would you convince your party to embrace the expansion of bureaucracy, the administration, the oversight, the operational demands in this document?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well Leon, I don't think it's necessarily a matter of an expansion of bureaucracy. One of the principle questions that sits within this report is how the bureaucracy works and how it engages with government. And that's one of the key points of difference between the commissioners, whether it's a bureaucracy that's managed more directly by government through the ministerial process that we have now, or whether the administration of aged care is moved to a separate bureaucracy with its own governance structure.

Leon Compton:          

[Talks over] Either way, Minister, that was enormous.

Richard Colbeck:       

So it's a huge philosophical question. You're right. It is a big question. And it's one of the questions that we are going to have to answer as a part of our response to the royal commission report. We've said that we would respond to the report fully by the end of May. But the fundamental response is going to come in the budget, whereas- which is where we will lay out our response to the reforms, the changes that are proposed within this commission report, and also the financing of it as well.

Leon Compton:          

Ultimately, this report seems to make a suite of recommendations anathema to the writing, [indistinct] the way that the Liberal Party approaches government in terms of administration and bureaucracy, in terms of a better and more stringent oversight of the private sector - if the private sector continues in the aged care space at all - a growing of services, not a shrinking of them. How will you be able to convince your fellow cabinet ministers that any of the paths recommended by the commission are ones to go down?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well look, I don't think it's going to be such a stretch as you might consider. Obviously, the Prime Minister was very concerned about this particular area of our society. When he came to the role as Prime Minister it was one of the very first acts that he undertook, was to call this royal commission and set the terms of reference. I know he remains extremely concerned about this area. I have had an extraordinary amount of interaction with him and my ministerial colleagues over the course of the royal commission and particularly over the last 12 months with what we've been through in aged care. And we've been, obviously, watching very closely what the royal commission has been saying through its hearings; we've been looking very closely at the draft recommendations prepared by the counsel assisting that were presented to the commissioners last year; and we've been working to consider how we will respond. This sector does need a lot of reform, Leon, there's no question about that. The issue around the scale and the capacity of it is a real one. But we've invested, since the Prime Minister came to the job, more than $5.5 billion just in home care packages - 87,000 home care packages into the system.

Leon Compton:          

[Talks over] Yeah, Minister, lets

Richard Colbeck:       

So it's a significant investment which-

Leon Compton:          

[Interrupts] Lets pick up that issue for a moment.

Richard Colbeck:       

Sure.

Leon Compton:          

Because you and I over years have spoken about home care packages, and you have made the argument over years on the Mornings programme that there wasn't enough money to pay for everybody that needed home care packages and was eligible for them to get those packages. You've argued that personally and, as the Minister responsible for years. Now, you've got a royal commission telling you it should take 30 days at the most and that should start from the end of this year. Isn't that a repudiation of the way your Government, you as Minister, have approached these issues specifically?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, I can test the premise of your point to start with, Leon. We have continued to grow home care, as I've been able to convince my colleagues around the Cabinet table to put in additional resources. And I have to say, over the last 12 months or so they've been extremely receptive - there will be nearly 40,000 new packages going to the system this financial year alone. When I came to the Ministry we were projected to get to 157,000 home care packages by 22-23. We're going to get to 197,000 home care packages by the end of this financial year. So there has been a recognition of the need to grow. But there's also been a recognition, and I said this when the royal commission's interim report came down, that we had to grow this sector- this part of the sector responsibly and that 1200 new home care packages we’re offering a week is 200 jobs a week. So we have to grow-

Leon Compton:          

[Interrupts] But Minister, it’s not about growing it responsibly.

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, actually, Leon, it is. Because one of those things-

Leon Compton:          

[Interrupts] It’s about growing it to respond to the needs of the people, and to accommodate the needs of everybody that is deemed eligible.

Richard Colbeck:       

Well actually, actually, Leon, it's both. Because if we- One of the things that this- the final report talks about is the oversight and regulation of home care, and the requirement for that to have the appropriate level of oversight. We also want to reform the way that home care is delivered, and we indicated that when the interim report came down. And we were looking forward to the recommendations of the final report because the royal commission has said that they wanted to have a say in how home care was going to be reformed. So we now have that report. So we need to reform the sector, and then - going to your point - we need to provide the capacity of the home care sector to provide the appropriate level of support for people when and as they need it. And that's one of the fundamental questions that we have to answer as part of the royal commission report.

Leon Compton:          

I'm thinking about our listeners this morning who'll be waiting for a knock on the door and it'll be their home care provider coming in to help them, well, depending on whether their category 1 through to category 4, with a range of tasks. That worker who knocks on the door, they might be rostered on for a two hour shift and they might be earning as little as $15 an hour. How can you attract the workforce of caring, competent people that you need to knock on that door? Is there, in the payment [indistinct]…?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, I doubt they’d be earning, I doubt they’d be earning $15 an hour, Leon, because that's less than minimum wage. So, if they’re earning that someone's not paying them properly, which is not appropriate. But look, I- to take your core point, we do need to reform this sector, and I think even COVID has changed the way a lot of these systems operate because we've had to - it's forced us to change. So the reform of the home care sector is a big piece, is a significant piece. But if I look at, and we talk about the capacity of the system, if I look at my community or a community here in Burnie, where we've got providers who are providing home care services; they're providing CHSP; they're providing veterans care; and, they're also providing NDIS. So we are we are looking a bit broader than just the aged care sector. How do we make very, very good community-based businesses viable to provide care across these different categories; ensure that they're viable; and, make sure that that's done at most affordable cost to the taxpayer, which is one of the questions that we're going to have to deal with; and, most efficiently? So this, as you quite rightly indicate, is a huge reform.

Leon Compton:          

I ask you this question respectfully. Are you, as Minister; are you, as a Government, actually up to the scale of reform?

Richard Colbeck:       

Oh absolutely. And I think that we are, as I said, we’ve been looking very closely at the commission as it’s gone on. We’ve been looking at the draft recommendations and we needed to do that because we’ve said that we would respond more fully to the commissioner’s report in the budget. Now, that’s only about 10 weeks away. So, yes, there’s a fair bit of work to be done in that period of time but we’ve got some very fundamental questions to answer as a part of that process, including how it’s paid for.

Leon Compton:          

The Federal Minister for Aged Care, Senator Richard Colbeck is our guest this morning. And from this part of the state, he joins us from William Street in Devonport and it’s lovely to have your company this morning. Can you name one achievement by the Government, since 2013, that has approached this scale of complexity and size, in terms of federal reform?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, I think you only have to look at the last 12 months and the way that this country, through National Cabinet, has managed to get through COVID, using the National Cabinet process. There’s been some challenges along the way but we’ve stepped up to them and met them. We’re starting, over the last week or so, the biggest- one of the biggest logistic exercises that you’ll ever see, which is the vaccination of 26 million people. So, everybody who’s living in this country will be offered a vaccination. So look, I-

Leon Compton:          

[Interrupts] Does that even come close to approaching the scale and complexity of the policy, the suite of policies that you’ll need to embrace to start to scratch the sides of the recommendations of this royal commission? I’m asking if this is the biggest task, by some margin, the Government’s been set since 2013.

Richard Colbeck:       

Look in a policy sense, I think it’s pretty big. There’s no question about that. But can I say, in my own mind, working with my colleagues and the work that I know that we’ve done so far, I think we’re in a pretty good space to be able to manage this. It is a huge job. There is a lot of work to do. The royal commission said it’s a five-year reform task. Some in the industry have been saying to me that it’ll take longer; I don’t think that’s acceptable. But I think you’re right and the royal commission is right, and I said this when the report was released on Monday, being in the portfolio and the events of the last 18 months or so have really made me question, fundamentally, the way that we deliver aged care in this country, including whether or not residential aged care, for example, is something that we should maintain. So, my thought process has gone right back to fundamentals as part of this process.

Leon Compton:          

Sorry, can you just tease that out for me? Including whether residential aged care is something we maintain – what do you mean by that? Can you tease that out for me?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, it’s a question one of the commissioners asked as well and I’ve done some reading on that. So the scale and the intensity of residential aged care is something that is probably a convenience for the community as much as anything else. And so the report, when it was brought down, the interim report when it was brought down, questioned society’s approach to aged care, which has changed over many years. I mean, once upon a time, people used to look after their older family members in their own home. So all of those things that have changed. So it took me back to first principles and then if we’re going to continue to operate in that sense, how do we change it for the better? What are the systems that make it better? Commissioner Briggs, for example, was talking about smaller scale facilities. You’ve talked to Lucio(*) [indistinct] on a number of occasions with the work that they're doing down at Korongee in a dementia sense. So what are the things that we do to change the way that we deliver, particularly residential aged care?

Leon Compton:          

Minister, can you imagine a time when the private for profit providers are out of the provision of residential aged care?

Richard Colbeck:       

No, I don't. I think they still have a place. But one of the things that comes through in the royal commission's report is the accountability of the taxpayers’ money that goes into those providers and how it’s spent. And my view is that that's one of the things that you'll see in the context of change. We don't have good enough financial accountability and reporting. I found that to be an issue in just my administration of the portfolio since I've been in it. So that is something that needs to improve, along with so many other things that the royal commission talks about.

Leon Compton:          

Just to follow on- a couple of final [indistinct] questions - I walked down the street. You were listening to those before we spoke this morning. Everybody that we spoke to, and I made sure that we spoke to some young people as well who’d look at 50 working years of paying an extra 1 per cent to support reforms in aged care, said we should do it. Should we do it?

Richard Colbeck:       

Look, we clearly need to reform the sector. There's no question about that.

Leon Compton:          

But to the specific question, a 1 per cent extra levy, like a Medicare style levy to fund aged care. Should we do it?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, that's one of the questions that we'll answer and you'll get the response to that in the budget. Clearly, one of the major considerations of the reform of this sector is how we pay for it and who pays. And it's clearly a big question. It’s [indistinct] question-

Leon Compton:          

[Interrupts] Will you be recommending to the Prime Minister that we go down this path to give you the money you need to start considering [indistinct]?

Richard Colbeck:       

It's been a big question for a long time. I sat down with someone that you would know, former Tasmanian Warwick Smith who was the minister in ‘97, when the last act came in and the concept of bonds was first brought into place and Australians making a contribution themselves to part of their aged care. So that remains one of the key debates that we will have to have within the government as we lead up to our announcement in the budget.

Leon Compton:          

Will you be recommending that 1 per cent levy?

Richard Colbeck:       

I'll have more conversations in the room, but clearly, significant additional resources are going to be required to conduct the reforms that we need to make to this sector. And the Prime Minister’s acknowledged that; I've acknowledged that and I do it again today.

Leon Compton:          

A final question on a different matter, and I think you might have reasonably expected this question this morning. You just heard in ABC News that there is an expectation a cabinet minister facing historic- an historic rape allegation, will speak today. Can you confirm that that is going to happen?

Richard Colbeck:       

The only thing that I've seen is the reports in the media, Leon. I have nothing over and above that that I can offer you, unfortunately.

Leon Compton:          

Are you expecting that that minister will speak today about the historic allegation?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, that's what's- that's what I've been told through the media. I don't have any other formal indication of that or otherwise. You know, there's been a lot said about this over recent times and obviously-

Leon Compton:          

Can I ask you a personal question about it, Minister?

Richard Colbeck:       

Sure.

Leon Compton:          

You're of a certain age. You're a man in cabinet. What has it felt like since these allegations have aired over the past, let's say, six or seven days? This allegation has aired over the past six or seven days. What’s it been like for you? Have people been asking you the question?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, I've certainly had some fairly unattractive emails come to me. But the whole question around personal conduct within Canberra and Parliament House over the last few weeks has really put a pall over the place. It's really quite disturbing, concerning. When I heard what had happened to Britney Higgins, for example, my heart just sank for her. And it really is a very, very difficult circumstance for us all because nobody wants to see those sorts of activities going on in their workplace, doesn't matter what workplace it is, you just don't want to see those sorts of things occurring.

So it has cast a pall over the place. And, you know, we've just been talking about, as you say, one of the most significant reforms of a policy area in a long time. I would prefer to be able to have my complete focus on dealing with that rather than these other things that have been part of the news cycle over recent times.

Leon Compton:          

I appreciate you coming down this morning. It's good to see you.

Richard Colbeck:       

Thanks, Leon.

Leon Compton:          

Senator Richard Colbeck and Federal Minister for Aged Care on Mornings on your local ABC.

Close

Fran Kelly:     

The Morrison Government has pledged nearly half a billion dollars in immediate funding to overhaul the sector, with more promised in the budget.

Richard Colbeck is the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services. Minister, welcome back to Breakfast.

Richard Colbeck:       

Morning, Fran.

Fran Kelly:     

The Commissioner's report announces a national shame. It says substandard care and neglect pervades our aged care system - it's an indictment of the sector, but also of us as a society, isn't it? What do you have to say to the people waking up in care this morning?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, I’d have to say that I agree with the commission when it talks about us all as a society, and in fact, I said that when the interim report was handed down a bit over 12 months ago. It was a wake-up call and a message to everybody - not just the sector, not just the Government, but to the entire Australian community, and I’d- my view hasn't changed on that. The job now is-

Fran Kelly:     

[Talks over] Okay. But what's your message to the people in the-

Richard Colbeck:       

The job now is to commence the reform process.

Fran Kelly:     

[Talks over] What’s your- No, what I’m asking you I suppose – well, I suppose what I’m asking you is, what’s your message as the Minister responsible, receiving this report, to those in care? We know that two thirds - because the report tells us – are malnutritious–malnourished or facing malnutrition; we know up to 18 per cent face physical or sexual assault during their time there. What is your message for all those residents this morning?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, my view is that this report gives us an imprimatur that we haven't had at any stage before in the last 25, 30 years to make some of the changes that desperately need to be made for the operation of the aged care system. It has changed a lot in the last 25 or 30 years. It looks different now to what it did 20, 30 years ago.

But there’s, as the report indicates, a significant amount of work that needs to be done. It isn't going to be able to be done quickly, but there are things that we can start doing. And that's why we made the announcement yesterday, as you've indicated, for the 452 million in a number of areas that are important, including some work to develop and grow the workforce.

Fran Kelly:     

What do you, what do you mean this is, this report gives you the imprimatur we haven't had? You’re the Federal Government - the Federal Government funds aged care. Why haven't you been able to do it before now? I mean, the Commission, or one of the Commissioners, Lynelle Briggs, says in the final report that, at the time, going through the Royal Commission, it felt like the Government's main consideration was, quote: what was the minimum commitment it could get away with? And she finds only Government can repair the sector.

Will the Government do more than the minimum this time? And will you commit to implementing all of the recommendations around quality of care, staffing levels and accountability?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, we'll consider very carefully the recommendations of the report. As you've indicated there are some with these different perspectives from the two Commissioners on the approach - but we’ll look at that very closely.

Fran Kelly:     

[Interrupts] I’m not talking about those. I’m talking about the one about staffing, and accountability, and quality of care.

Richard Colbeck:       

And as I’ve said, we will consider all of the recommendations carefully. We’ll have a comprehensive response to those in the budget, which is only a few weeks away now. And the Royal Commission also asked us to respond to all the recommendations by the end of May, and we’re committed yesterday to do that when we released the report.

So, we will be working very, very quickly to respond to the Royal Commission's report, and to start putting in place the measures that we need to have an effective aged care system in this country that provides the level of care that people deserve.

Fran Kelly:     

Can we expect on budget day when we get the amount of funding the Government is going to commit to this? That the Government will commit to all the major recommendations? I mean, this has been a three year-long, two year-long sorry, royal commission - or two and a half years or something. You know, completely comprehensive. Will you commit to implementing the key recommendations?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, as I said, Fran, and you make the point, it took over two years for this royal commission to be undertaken. We've had it for, now, four days. We will consider very, very carefully all of the recommendations in the report and we’ll respond comprehensively in the budget. That's what the Prime Minister said yesterday; that's what he committed to yesterday; and, that's the basis of the conversations that we've been having as a part of this process.

It clearly needs significant reform. We said yesterday that that's what we were looking to do. And we'll respond to the Commission report comprehensively in the budget and we'll provide a full response to the Commission's report by the end of May, as they've asked and we've committed to.

Fran Kelly:     

It's clearly going to need more money. You’ve announced already 452 million, as you reminded us - which is a drop in the bucket compared to what will be needed. Aged care providers point out Australia spends just 1.2 per cent of GDP on aged care compared to the OECD average of 2.5 per cent.

How is the Government going to increase the funding? Is there going to be a major injection in the May budget? And is the Government considering a Medicare style level- levy?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, there's a number of recommendations in the report that we will consider. You're right. It will require additional resources, considerable additional resources, and that's one of the important considerations that we have to look at as we consider the report. As I said, our response to those issues will come in the budget, but clearly additional resources is required. But it's not, as the report quite correctly says, not just about money - there are a range of other things that need to occur as well, and they will form part of our considerations as well.

Fran Kelly:     

That's true and come to some of those. But in terms of the funding, the Commissioners had different views on how to fund it. But basically, they both agreed that some kind of levy or increase in personal income tax would be needed. Are you considering that?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, we're considering the recommendations of the report, as I said, Fran, and we will respond to those in the budget. I'm not going to, after four days of having the report - we received it Friday, we had the weekend to consider it - we've made an initial response, and we’ll fully respond to the report, and particularly in the context of financing, in the budget.

Fran Kelly:     

If the Prime Minister is talking about a needs-based response, a needs-based system, does that mean, in a sense, open ended funding in that whatever the need is and as that need grows, the Government will meet it? Is that the commitment?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, that’s one of the considerations we have to make, Fran. And of course, we have to consider all of the implications of that, and how we fund it, and who pays. So, there’s- there are a number of elements that go into this. I recall back to the hearings and we watch those and listen to those very, very closely when they were occurring. The Commission has made a number of recommendations around all of these matters, and it’s now our responsibility to consider all those, and as I’ve said, we’ll respond in budget.

Fran Kelly:     

Taxpayers fund 80 per cent of the aged care funding at the moment. We heard on AM, Doctor Anna Howe, an aged care expert from Macquarie Uni, saying there needs to be much more accountability before anyone gets any more funding at all; before anyone gets another cent. Sarah Holland-Batt, reminded us the nursing home her father was in passed all its accountability tests with flying colours, through the regulator. Is it going to be a feature of the new system? Should it be transparency on how every government dollar is spent on residents? Because we don’t have that the moment. 

Richard Colbeck:       

Well look, I think better financial reporting and accountabilities is a necessary part of the way the system evolves, so I’m very, very supportive of that and on the public record as having said that a number of times already. This is not just about money, it’s about the systems through which the aged care sector operates; it’s about that transparency that you talk about; it’s about how the community, how people understand, how a facility rates and ranks; how it’s performing - all of those things, I think, are really important. In my-

Fran Kelly:     

[Interrupts] All of which have been failing. I mean, I suppose what I’m wanting to hear from you, as the Aged Care Minister, is the Government going to take responsibility for ensuring that there is accountability into the future? That there is the funding required in the future? That there is the staffing required in the future? The Commission has given you a five-year timeframe, some in the sector say that’s too long. But, is the Government making that commitment? I think that’s what people want to hear?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, as I said to you, we've had the report for four days.

Fran Kelly:     

[Interrupts] Yeah. But, you’ve known it was coming?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well absolutely, and there are a range of principles in there that we agree with and support, and I've just indicated some of those to you, Fran. I think that financial accountability is important, better financial reporting. I agree with the Commission that we don't have enough financial data with respect to the aged care sector - it's important. And there's a number of key metrics that we need to improve. I agree with the Commission with respect to quality indicators - those things being publicly reported, and the systems that support that.

And I've already been talking to the aged care sector about the quality systems, how they operate and how they reported the use of technology to ensure that that information comes to- through to the Government and to the community quickly. Those conversations are underway. I'm very, very determined to see a high quality aged care sector. It's going to take time. There's some things that we can do more quickly, but we also need to recruit and train a workforce to support it. So, all of those-

Fran Kelly:     

[Interrupts] Let’s talk about that, because there's two recommendations that have specific and fairly tight timelines on them, in the report. It looks at staffing levels. It says from July next year, there should be enough staff to provide at least 200 minutes of carer time per resident per day, 40 minutes per day with a registered nurse. There should also be a registered nurse on site 16 hours a day. Does the Government commit to ensuring the workforce is there? And the funding is there for that level of carer support, per resident?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, as I've said to you a number of times, Fran, we received the report four days ago. We are considering a report now-  

Fran Kelly:     

[Talks over] So, you’re not committing to that timeframe?

Richard Colbeck:       

We have made an initial response and we will respond fully in the budget. I mean, if you look at the things that we said yesterday, one of the things that we've done immediately is to look to grow the workforce by 18,000 people and train those people to go into the workforce. That demonstrates a commitment to an acknowledgement of the workforce as an issue. So, that's one thing that we've done immediately.

Fran Kelly:     

Okay.

Richard Colbeck:       

And in response to the COVID-19 report, we put additional capacity for nurse training in age- residential aged care. So you know, we are already moving on these things; we acknowledge that that they are issues that we have to deal with. The home care workforce is going to have to grow significant to meet demand, and while we're putting out 1200 packages a week into the sector between now and the end of the financial year under the current arrangements, that's an extra 200 people a week we need. So, all of these things are actually moving now. We’re working on this now.

Fran Kelly:     

[Talks over] There real challenges with the workforce and that's obvious. The recommendations do include another specific timeframe, which is approving home care packages within one month from the date of a person's assessment and clearing the waiting list by the end of the year. Now, there's apparently around 100,000 Australians on that waiting list. Can that be done?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, one thing that we will do is make sure that as we grow the system, it's done safely to it- so that we can ensure that every person who's receiving care at home gets the appropriate level of care and done safely. The Royal Commission also expresses some concerns around the regulatory framework for home care - it’s growing rapidly, and we need to make sure that it's done properly and so that people continue to receive care safely. So, all of those factors will be considered as part of our response to the Royal Commission report.

Fran Kelly:     

Minister, can I just ask you finally on another issue that's dominating federal politics at the moment? The rape allegation levelled against one of your ministerial colleagues. The unnamed minister absolutely rejects the allegation, that’s what the Prime Minister told us yesterday. But, should this Minister continue in Cabinet while this matter remains unresolved? Are you supportive of that?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, what I'm supportive of is a proper process to undertake an investigation. I don't believe that it's appropriate that members, and senators, and Members of Parliament are part of that process. The appropriate place, the independent authority for investigating these sorts of allegations, is the police. That's where it sits now, and I think that's what's appropriate.

Fran Kelly:     

And if that is unable to go ahead because of the particular circumstances of this case, which is the complainant is deceased? If there can't be further police investigation, should there be some kind of other independent inquiry to clear this up?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, in this country, the appropriate place for investigation of those sorts of occurrences, as awful as they are, is the police. I mean, are we talking about creating some sort of new authority for investigating these sorts of things?

Fran Kelly:     

[Talks over] Well, for instance, in the case of the High Court, there was an investigation that didn't involve the police initially.

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, at this stage in proceedings I think it's where it should be, with the appropriate independent authorities. The police are an independent authority and they are set up and they are designed to investigate those things. I think that's the appropriate authority for these things, these matters to be dealing with at the moment.

Fran Kelly:     

Richard Colbeck, thank you very much for joining us.

Richard Colbeck:       

Thank you, Fran.

Fran Kelly:     

Richard Colbeck, the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services.

Close

Ben Fordham:

Aged care is fighting a war on a couple of fronts. Findings from the Royal Commission and the vaccine rollout. The rollout in aged care is behind schedule. Some homes have been waiting for the doses, but the needles never showed up. Others have thrown doses out because they received too many. In Queensland, two elderly people were given overdoses of the vaccine because the doctor wasn't put through the proper training.

Richard Colbeck is the Minister for Aged Care Services. He's on the line. Minister, good morning to you.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Ben.

Ben Fordham:

Why have there been so many stuff ups with the vaccine rollout?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think they're always going to be a few things that didn't work out properly in the early days of the vaccine rollout. Unfortunately, the vaccine dosage issue in Queensland was one that I think was completely unacceptable. The doctor had received the information to undertake the training, but didn't undertake it until after the incident occurred. And the doctor's been appropriately referred to the appropriate authorities for review. Those things just should not happen.

Ben Fordham:

Okay. Just on the vaccine rollout, despite the delays and complications, you say the feds have administered 33,000 vaccines in aged care. Can you tell us how many you've done in New South Wales?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I don't have the New South Wales numbers with me, but I do know that the New South Wales rollout has been slowed down while we make sure that we iron out some of the issues that we've had. We need to make sure that this is done properly and safely.

 

We've also put an additional service provider on in New South Wales to assist with the rollout. We're quite confident that it will ramp up as the rollout goes on. We'll- we're looking to be back on track by the end of week two …

Ben Fordham:

[Interrupts] They were understaffed. I mean, didn't we see this coming? The understaffing is the issue?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that hasn't been the entire issue, but it is a major logistical exercise that we're talking about. It’s the biggest vaccination program that we've ever seen. Every person living in Australia will be offered vaccination. That's two injections across the country. It is a huge logistical rollout.

I think it's appropriate that we ramp this up in a safe and secure way. That's what we're doing. We're looking to have the aged care rollout completed over six weeks. And according to the advice that I've been received, that's- we're still on target to achieve that with the ramp up [indistinct]...

Ben Fordham:

If possible, we'd love to access some of those numbers about how many vaccines have been administered in aged care in New South Wales. I know you don't have them in your hand and fingertips right now, but if you could get them to us, that'd be fantastic.

And just on the - the AstraZeneca vaccine rollout, why has the New South Wales Government not been given the information relating to the AstraZeneca?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we're putting out as much information as we possibly can as we receive it. Obviously, the access to the vaccine as it arrives initially from Europe and then becomes available to us from the Australian supply is the issues that we're working our way through.

I have to say, I'd prefer to see a phone call from the New South Wales Health Minister to Minister Hunt to have a conversation about, this is the information we're looking for. I think that's the appropriate way to deal with it …

Ben Fordham:

[Interrupts] Well I can tell you, during the pandemic, Minister, I can tell you that New South Wales has been requesting data from the feds on a number of fronts and they haven't been forthcoming. So, I think that's where the frustration’s coming from.

But look, let me move on to the Royal Commission. The final report is in. There are a range of recommendations, including ripping up the Aged Care Act, establishing a new aged care, safety and quality authority, developing star rankings to rank providers, approving or denying home care package applications within a month, a simpler, fairer system of fees and contributions forcing providers to have at least one registered nurse on site at all times.

Now, these are hardly new or surprising. Have you made a call on any of those recommendations yet?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we'll be responding to the Royal Commission in two ways. We made an initial response yesterday. The Royal Commission asked us to do a full response by the end of May. We will do that. We said that yesterday and we'll be responding in a quite comprehensive way in the budget, which will answer a lot of those questions. We've put our mind to many of these things.

We do have the circumstance, of course, where there are a couple of ways to deal with some of the issues within the recommendations. So, we have to consider how we deal with those particular matters. But we will do that. We will have a quite comprehensive response to the Royal Commission in the budget. And as the Royal Commission has asked us to provide a full response to the Parliament by the end of May and we've said we will do that too.

Ben Fordham:

Okay. Can I just lock you down on two things and get brief answers, possibly one-word answers? Are you open to an aged care tax?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, that's an open discussion at this point in time. That's something that came before us on Friday. Obviously, it's going to take a bit of time to consider that.

Ben Fordham:

Okay. And do you agree that six dollars a day per person on food is borderline inhumane? It should be closer to ten dollars a day.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, making sure that residents in aged care facilities have an appropriate diet is very important. And that's something I'm certainly determined to ensure.

Ben Fordham:

Before we let you go, how many aged care residents have we now lost to coronavirus, Minister?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the total number of people who’ve died in aged care across the board is 693. Eight of those have been in homecare. So, 685 in residential aged care across the country.

Ben Fordham:

Okay. We thank all of the people working in aged care and let’s hope that those rollout numbers come in regarding New South Wales.

Thank you so much for sparing some time with us this morning.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Ben.

Ben Fordham:

Richard Colbeck, the Minister for Aged Care.

Close

E& OE...

Matt Webber:

Phase 1A of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout today, and along with frontline healthcare workers in quarantine and border workers, aged care and disability staff and residents are on the list of those who are first to receive the vaccine. Hugely significant week, and I'm joined by Senator Richard Colbeck to discuss it. He's the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians. Senator, good morning.

Richard Colbeck:

Good morning, Matt.

Matt Webber:

How will all this work?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we have contracted two providers to move out into aged care facilities and disability care facilities across Australia to provide the vaccine in the facility so residents and staff don't have to go anywhere; the vaccine will come to them. And so, we'll be progressively working around the country with those teams to provide vaccines to, initially, residents, but then staff in aged care facilities around the country. We understand only too well, we’ve seen the experience, particularly through Victoria, of the devastating effect the virus can have on senior Australians. So, that's why they're in phase 1A and starting as of today.

Matt Webber:

How do you prioritise locations? I know there's a lot of suburbs mentioned on the Australian Government website and the material that we've been provided, not specific aged care facilities as such mentioned. First things first, how do you prioritise locations within regions?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, because we're in the very fortunate circumstance where we don't have significant transmission of COVID in the community, we're able to manage a rollout in, effectively, a structured way through communities around the country. Of course, we've said that if we have outbreaks in a particular area or region, we can target, using our capacity, those that are close contacts or close to those that might have contracted the virus. But we're in a very, very fortunate situation where we can have a very managed and structured rollout around the country. So, for example, there are nine facilities on the Gold Coast that will be having their residents vaccinated this week, as in the first week of the rollout.

Matt Webber:

There's care and then there's high care. How do you manage the various levels of need?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we're categorising everybody across the aged care sector. So, we'll be going into all of the aged care facilities, 2700 odd of them, across the country over the next six weeks to get that first dose into residents. We’ll be doing about 240 facilities this week around the country; metro, regional, rural and remote. So, we're working our way across the entire country to ensure that people have access to the vaccine should they want it.

Matt Webber:

We've heard a lot about the Pfizer vaccine in particular, first cab off the rank, of course. But also, it's only able to be stored at super low temperatures – I think the figure’s minus 70 degrees Celsius. How’s this work if you have to take it out to care homes, what's the protocol there?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we've set up hubs around the country to store the vaccine so that they can maintain and manage it at that minus 70 degrees. But there is a period of about five days where you, after you thaw the vaccine out, you can then distribute it and use it as long as it's maintained at a refrigerated temperature. So, there is capacity and scope to manage the vaccine once it's been thawed, and that period of time to distribute it and to administer it.

Matt Webber:

Senator Richard Colbeck with me this morning. We're very grateful for it too. Busy day. Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians. ABC Gold Coast Mornings.

Given the state of aged care in Australia - and we've spoken to you about this in the past - the final report into Aged Care Royal Commission- the final report into the Aged Care Royal Commission is due out this Friday. 685 nationwide, people, died of COVID-19 in aged care. This is a significant moment for you and what it is that you manage. How confident are you that you've got the plan right?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, there's been a lot of effort by a lot of people to manage the vaccination rollout. And you're right, it's a very, very big week, not only in the context of the commencement of vaccination for COVID, but it's also a significant week in the context of aged care, more broadly, with the Royal Commission's report due this week. We've been working very, very hard, looking at the draft recommendations from counsel assisting, in particular, as to where we think the commission might be going. But we're actually looking forward to that report.

I'm very, very determined to ensure that we have a very positive reform of the aged care sector post the Royal Commission report. It was one of the Prime Minister's first actions when he came to the leadership of the Government. And so, it is a very, very big week in that context; vaccinations rolling out across the country protecting senior Australians, and a major report about the future structure of aged care being delivered this week as well.

Matt Webber:

Senator Richard Colbeck with me. To another matter, while I have you - and it can’t be ignored - there are reports this morning that a third woman has levelled sexual assault allegations against the same staffer that Brittany Higgins alleges assaulted her. Four internal inquiries we’ve heard about, looking at who knew what and when and cultural issues and the like. You’re a senior minister, how would you expect your staff to deal with allegations of this magnitude?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I, in fact, sat down with my staff last week once these issues started to come through the system, and had a discussion with them about having a respectful workplace, making sure that the relationships in here were based on that respect, and that my door was open if any circumstance arose that they felt needed to be addressed, they could come to me and we can start that process. I think that's important that my staff feel that they have that capacity, they can walk in the door to talk to me about those things at any point in time, and that the respect for each other and for the roles that they're undertaking is a very, very important foundation for that process.

Matt Webber:

Would you expect to be told of allegations of this magnitude immediately by your staffers?

Richard Colbeck:

If something like that occurred in my office, I would want to know about it immediately so that I could put in place the appropriate actions, A, to deal with it, but also to ensure that the appropriate supports were in place.

Matt Webber:

What would you do if you weren't informed?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it's a bit hard to do something about- you don't- something you don't know about. But I would expect to know, I would expect to be informed so that, as I said, the appropriate actions, whether they be legal or otherwise, could be put in place. But also, the appropriate supports for those that have been impacted were able to be put in place. And I think both of those factors are clearly at play as part of what we've seen over the last week.

Matt Webber:

Indeed. Senator, before I let you go, you've mentioned having a sit down chat with your staff. Have you changed anything specifically in the way your office is managed in light of last week's revelation?

Richard Colbeck:

No. Look, just continued communication with the people in the office. I suppose I cast a caring eye over the office at all times as well, just to make sure that I'm not missing something, so I can ask a question if I need to. But it’s- I think it really does start with, at a foundation level, of respect for the role that you're undertaking, but also for the respect for the people around you. And I think that, as a foundation principle, will go a long way to improving and ensuring the appropriate practises and behaviour in the workplace.

Matt Webber:

Are you aware of or have you been aware of so-called cultural problems within the organisation?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it's a quite a unique workplace here in Canberra; you're separated from family in a lot of occasions. And so it is a very different workplace. But there are others that are similar. And I think that what we're seeing is something that not only occurs in this workplace, but occurs in others. And so, it's a salient reminder to us all within the community that we need to respect those fundamental principles that make a workplace safe and comfortable and happy to work in.

 And quite frankly, when you have those things going for you, you get the best results. So, the fact that my team work well together, the fact that they have respect for each other and can manage those things, and if they can come to me if there's an issue, really, is about results. And that's the job that we have; we're here as representatives of the people nationally. And we've talked about the things that we're looking at this week; the rollout of the vaccine, response to the Royal Commission. We need our team working together in a strong and positive way so that we can achieve the outcomes that the Australian people expect.

Matt Webber:

It's a significant week for us all. We hope it runs smoothly. Thank you for your time, Senator.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much, Matt.

Matt Webber:

Senator Richard Colbeck there, Aged Care Minister.

 

Close

Emily Jade O’Keeffe:

But, to chat more about it we have got the Senator, the Honourable Richard Colbeck, on the line. He’s the Minister for-

Paul Gale:      

[Interrupts] Senior Australians and Aged Care Services and the Minister for Sport as well. Good morning.

Richard Colbeck:       

Good morning.         

Emily Jade O’Keeffe:            

Well, what a busy 24 hours you have had. Queensland is a step closer to hosting the Olympic Games.

Richard Colbeck:       

Yeah, really great piece of news that we received overnight from the IOC. So, we are now the sole country in targeted dialogue with the IOC for the 2032 Games. So, the ball is now in our court to give them the evidence that they need to finally allocate the games to us.     

Paul Gale:      

Would you prefer to actually win against someone?

[Laughter]

Emily Jade O’Keeffe:            

It’s very strange.

Paul Gale:      

You know what I mean? Like, I know that it's great that we're looking like we're at least the shoe in, if we present properly, but it's a bit bittersweet because you like to beat other countries out?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, I think we probably already have done that to a certain extent. We've been in continuous dialogue with a number of other countries. There were three countries that presented to the IOC just a few weeks ago. Our bid was regarded as being very, very well advanced. And the IOC said overnight that they considered a whole range of things, including talking to the IMF, OECD and a number of other international organisations, as well as our fantastic record in hosting events, our infrastructure capacity, all of those things. So, we're already in a pretty good place in that sense. And so, I'm very happy to be in targeted dialogue exclusively with the IOC at this point in time because it puts us in the best possible position to be able to win the bid.

Emily Jade O’Keeffe:

So does that mean we don't get that classic moment? Like I remember when we got the Sydney Olympics and they went and the winner is: Sydney. Are not going to get like: and the winner is, Brisbane. Are they just going to go: hey, you’re the only country, you’ve got it.

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, I think they'll still be a moment when the final decision is made. I'm sure that there'll be some very, very happy people around the country, particularly in South East Queensland and Brisbane, when the final decision is made. I'm sure we're all looking forward to that.    

Paul Gale:      

So when they make the announcement, do you have to act surprised? And go: Oh my god, I can’t believe it’s us. I’m shocked, oh my god, it’s us.

[Laughter]

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, I think that will mean that things haven't gone as they should have done. So- and I'm not sure I want to be in that position.

Paul Gale:

[Talks over] Fair enough. That’s true.

Richard Colbeck:       

We want to get this process done as quickly as we can. We, I think, have the capacity to put ourselves in the best situation to do that.

Emily Jade O’Keeffe: How much will be done on the Gold Coast, mate? Because obviously we've got the facilities here.

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, it's a South East Queensland bid, and the Gold Coast played an important part in that as well. So, we're looking, at the moment, at the bid, working its way from the Goldie right up through to the Sunshine Coast. So, a good spread across the South East Queensland region, infrastructure and facilities to support that. So, all of that will be important. And as you said, we very successfully hosted the Commonwealth Games there recently and that's one of the things that shows how well we do those things and hosting those major international events. And it's one of the things that's stood us in really good stead. So, our record is good. We have already got good infrastructure in place and they're all things that went into the decision that was made last night.

Paul Gale:      

[Indistinct]… also just start working on the closing ceremony now, just to be safe?

Emily Jade O’Keeffe:

Yeah, can it be better?

[Laughter]

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, plenty of time for that, plenty of opportunity to come up with some really good ideas. But, you know, again, great news overnight and I think we can be a bit more excited today, but look forward to some real excitement down the track, pending us getting the work done that we need to do.

Paul Gale:      

Alright. The Gold Coast is putting a request in. We want the athletics and the swimming. Okay?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, we'll have a talk to them all about that. That's a bit of work to do yet, but there's real opportunity for us all. This is an exciting time and something to really look forward to.

Paul Gale:      

Nice one. Senator, the Honourable Richard Colbeck, thank you very much for joining us this morning.

Richard Colbeck:       

Thanks team, good to be on.

Paul Gale:

That’s Minister for Sport on the show this morning.

Close

Question:

Sounds good. Appreciate your time, Minister. So first off, on this vaccination stuff-up, it’s not ideal that this happened in the first week of the rollout.

Richard Colbeck:

Really disappointing and distressing for us all because so many people work so hard to make this rollout successful. And for an event like this to occur is really, really disappointing and we don't want events such as this to undermine public confidence in the vaccination rollout. We don’t think that it will, but we’ll be doing everything we can to prevent any further recurrence of anything like this.

Question:

How much would this blame- Labor’s put a lot of this blame on the Federal Government. It’s a Federal Government contractor, it’s a Federal Government training program. Do you guys need to clean up your act on this, to have stuffed up so early from- and the fact that this doctor wasn't trained, even though he's meant to?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we're talking about a medical professional. It's not somebody who's just arrived on the scene to conduct a vaccination. This person has been through years of medical training. We would expect some level of professionalism in that sense to undertake the task that they've been contracted to undertake. Having said that, we will take - and we are taking steps across the nation to ensure that everybody who's engaged in the vaccination process has completed the training. We’ll have an independent verification process of that. The doctor's been referred to the appropriate authorities for review, as I think is appropriate. But we need- as I said, we need to maintain confidence in this process. It is really important for Australia that we do that and particularly for senior Australians. But one thing that we do know is that this vaccine will protect people. It is safe. And we know, because it's been trialled at different dosage levels in its pre-trial time, that it won't have a significant negative impact on the residents, and we're really pleased that they're okay. We're very sorry for them and their families that they've been put in this circumstance. But as I said, we're putting in place every single measure that we possibly can to ensure that these sorts of occurrences don't occur again.

Question:

 

Does this government still have confidence in the contractor behind it? They are, of course, the people who put the first jab in? Do you still have confidence in that?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the contractor is on notice, and the Minister Hunt’s had some pretty frank conversations with them about this. We expect that their systems that support the efficacy of the rollout process are as rigorous as they possibly can be. I think that's a reasonable expectation for us to have. But we are doing our own independent process on top of that now to ensure that that's the case. But it's- but I think that, overall, that they’re a good contractor, but they are now on notice that they need to make sure that this doesn't happen again.

Question:

And just on that rollout in aged care, it seems like the Government is already starting to fall behind. There’s sort of admissions that you’re not going to get vaccinations going into arms at all the centres that you sort of outlined. Is that a disappointment as well, to be falling over at the first hurdle?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, look, this is a huge logistical exercise. It requires a lot of coordination. We said that some things would go right, and that's occurring. It’s the first week of the rollout. We're in constant conversation with the sector. In fact, I spent an hour on the phone with the sector across the country yesterday to get their direct feedback as to the issues that they were seeing and facing. But they're all very, very keen. There's very high levels of uptake from residents within aged care facilities to take the vaccine, which is fantastic. That's exactly what we want. And we will continue to improve and smooth out the rollout as we progress. It's the first week. I think it's reasonable to expect that there will be a few things that don't occur as we want them to do. With respect to coordination, the logistics, that is happening. We're being very frank and open and upfront with the Australian people about this, as we should be, because doing that will maintain confidence in the rollout, and it's important that we do that so that it is high possible uptake as we can.

Question:

Have protocols been or regulations being strengthened to make sure that a doctor who hasn't been- done this training that this can happen again?

Richard Colbeck:

So what we've done is, A) ask Healthcare Australia to audit their systems to ensure that they're giving us the appropriate information, because we were told by them yesterday that the doctor had undertaken the training. He had- the doctor had been given the training materials. And we're now undertaking our own independent audit process across the country to ensure that everyone involved in the vaccination rollout is complying with the appropriate protocols and has completed the training.

Question:

What about moving forward, though, in terms of making sure that they're accredited or I guess had done the training before they start administering the jabs rather than an audit looking backwards?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that's the process. We will ensure- that's the point of the process – to ensure that everyone who is involved in administering the vaccine has completed the appropriate training.

Question:

Minister, should the states take over responsibility for rolling out the vaccine in aged care?

Richard Colbeck:

No, I don't think they should. And the Australian Government, in fact, will be responsible for about 60 per cent of the vaccine rollout. So, we'll be working with GP practices and pharmacies around the country, as well as the contractors that we have for aged care. And all of those, the GP practices and pharmacies, are private businesses, so I have to say, I'm very concerned about some of the rhetoric coming out of the Labor Party, trying to put down private enterprise in this country. All of the businesses who will play a significant role, all of the pharmacies and the GP practices are all small private businesses, and they will play an integral role in the rollout of this vaccine. And so suggesting that this is something about the private sector, I think, is quite irresponsible and is playing a negative role with respect to confidence in the rollout. And so, the Labor Party, I think, should be very, very careful about their language.

Thank you.

Close

Peter Stefanovic:        

Well, joining me live now from Canberra is Richard Colbeck, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, and the Minister for Sport as well. Richard, thanks for your time this morning. So, moving all the semantics and the dialogue aside, does this mean Brisbane’s got the games in 2032?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well not quite, but we are in the front seat. We’re now in an exclusive time of targeted dialogue – we’ve moved from the continuous dialogue process to targeted dialogue which means that we now have the opportunity to exclusively negotiate and work with the IOC for the 2032 games. So, we’re in the front seat, but there is still a fair bit of work for us to do and we are working very cooperatively with the Queensland Government and South East Councils who have done a great job in initially getting the concept of the 2032 games proposal up in the first place.

Peter Stefanovic:        

So what does that actually mean though? Targeted dialogue? What does this for the viewers at home?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, this is the new process that’s been established by the International Olympic Committee, but it means that we are the only country that are working with the IOC at this point in time for the 2032 games. So, it's now up to us to put a bid forward. We're not competing with anyone else at this point in time. We are now exclusively working with the IOC to finalise the bid process for 2032.

Peter Stefanovic:        

So, might Brisbane be the Bradbury of Olympics in that it's the only city standing?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, we could be the whole race front runner if we play our cards right. It might be that we've led from the barrier and - which I think we have to be honest - and we've led for the entire race. That would be my objective.

Peter Stefanovic:        

Ok, and so when would an announcement officially be made in 12 months-time?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, that's the notional period that we're talking about with the IOC, but we'll be doing everything as quickly as possible to get our bid together; the information to the IOC Future Host Commission; and, the IOC in the best possible position to be able to make a decision on the bid as soon as we can.

Peter Stefanovic:        

Okay, we're seeing what's happening this year with Japan and the Olympics. What sort of protections would be in place to ensure it's not wasted money if there is another pandemic that costs us the 2032 games?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well look, I think when you consider that firstly we have- we’ll have 10 years to prepare for this; as the IOC said in their statement overnight, the accommodation stock that's required for the games is already in place. So I think we're in a very, very fortunate situation where we have a lot of infrastructure that's there already - 80 or 90 per cent of the facilities will be existing facilities that will need some upgrades or they'll be temporary. So we will be able to plan this that will- in a way that will benefit the natural growth of south east Queensland. And so the facilities and the legacy from that will be particularly of benefit for those communities, but we'll be able to plan this in a way that works towards the natural growth of the region in any case. And I think that's one of the advantages of our bid.

Peter Stefanovic:        

Okay. Minister, a doctor in Queensland gave two elderly patients four times the recommended dose of the Pfizer vaccine. It's an extraordinary bungle and its only day three of the vaccine rollout. Was this an accident? Or was it just pure stupidity?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, clearly unacceptable, Peter, and I think it's hard to describe how I felt when I heard about it yesterday, and I know Minister had was feeling exactly the same way. We expected these medical professionals to undertake the training with the material that they had already been given. That's what this doctor is- we later in the day yesterday were advised, didn't do. That's clearly not acceptable. This event should not have happened.

And of course, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Michael Kidd, Professor Michael Kidd is now conducting a thorough investigation of events and a review to ensure that every person who's administering the vaccine across the country has, in fact, appropriately completed the training and to make sure that we don't have this sort of mistake.

We cannot afford and we don't want the confidence in the rollout of the vaccine to be undermined. Pleasingly, we've had fantastic acceptance and consents from aged care residents around the country. They're all sitting there waiting, lining up, looking forward to receiving the vaccine - that's fantastic, we want that to continue. So we'll continue to provide all information that we can to the Australian community so that they can maintain confidence in the vaccine rollout. It's very, very important that we are open and frank with them in respect of this, and we will be.

Peter Stefanovic:        

Greg Hunt has apologised. Will you do the same?

Richard Colbeck:       

Absolutely, look, my heart goes out to the families, I know that they would be worried, I would be worried if it was my mum or dad. So my apologies directly to the families. The fantastic thing - and my first question when I heard that this had happened is how are the residents there? They're in good nick, which is fantastic - they're being closely monitored.

And we do know from the fact that we've, through the TGA, had a full approval process for these vaccines, that the vaccines were tested at various dose levels, including at the level that these residents received, with no ill effect. So that's important information for us to have and to understand.

But simply, Peter, this should not have happened and we'll be doing everything that we can to ensure that it isn't repeated, including a national audit to ensure that all those that have- are participating in the vaccine rollout have completed the appropriate training. And of course, ensuring the systems that support that are doing that appropriately so that we can keep an eye on these things.

Peter Stefanovic:        

Minister, how many doses are in a vial?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, the Pfizer vaccine has six doses, and I understand that the AstraZeneca one is about 10. So- And look, this is the one- one of the things that perplexes me about this whole circumstance. We've been talking about the fact that the vials are multi dose for a period of time, it was pretty common knowledge to most people. And [indistinct]…

Peter Stefanovic:        

[Interrupts] So, how do you know that? And then the doctor who’s actually administering the jab doesn't know that? I mean, that would show that the training is just purely ineffective.

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, the problem was that the doctor hadn't undertaken the training…

Peter Stefanovic:        

[Talks over] Yeah.

Richard Colbeck:

… Peter. But this is a, this is a medical professional. This doctor’s had years and years of training to attain their status as being a doctor.

Peter Stefanovic:        

Well, he's not much of a professional.

Richard Colbeck:       

And so this is- well, this is one of the reasons that the doctor has been referred to the appropriate authorities from a number of sources. And I think investi- that that is appropriate as well.

Peter Stefanovic:        

Yeah.

Richard Colbeck:       

But it's a salient reminder us- to us all to be vigilant in the process of rolling out this vaccine. This is a very, very important process for our country. We need to maintain [indistinct]…

Peter Stefanovic:        

[Interrupts] Should vaccines be mandatory for aged care workers, Minister?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, that's not the advice that we have from the AHPPC at this point in time, Peter. It's a question that was discussed at the AHPPC, but because we don't yet understand fully what the vaccine does in the context of transmission of the virus - whether or not it prevents transmission - the decision was made not to, to make it mandatory. And as Minister Hunt has said, if we're making things mandatory without the proper evidence, that will undermine confidence. We don't want to do that. We want to make sure that we maintain a high level of confidence for uptake.

If the evidence were to change, the AHPPC can revisit that advice. But at the time they made the decision that they did because we didn't understand fully, and we still don't know, what the vaccine does in the context of transmission of the virus. What we do know is that it protects you if you take the virus against serious illness. But, until we know more, the appropriate decisions have been made.

Peter Stefanovic:        

Okay, just finally. Should Linda Reynolds continue as Defence Minister?

Richard Colbeck:       

Look, I think she should, Peter. This is obviously a very, very difficult time for her. It's a very, very difficult time for Brittany, and quite frankly it is for all of us. None of us want to see these sorts of events happening in our workplace. They shouldn't happen in our workplace. And we all have to be vigilant to ensure that our individual officers have the appropriate workplace culture - we have respect for each other within those workplaces. And we need to ensure that our staff can walk through the door and talk to us if they have a problem. And we need to make sure that we inform ourselves about the appropriate processes to. And I'm sure that the, the system, the process, the consultations that are being undertaken through the various reviews, but particularly by Simon Birmingham, will lead us in that direction

Peter Stefanovic:        

Okay. Richard Colbeck. I appreciate your time this morning. Thanks for joining us here. We'll talk to you soon.

Richard Colbeck:       

Thanks, Peter.

Close

Lisa Millar:

Alright. Staying with the vaccine rollout - Richard Colbeck, the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, joins us now from Canberra. And we do appreciate your time. You just heard the Queensland Premier there, saying she's not getting enough communication and is so unhappy about this bungle yesterday. What did you think when you heard the news?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, morning, Lisa. I wasn't overly impressed myself. This is the sort of thing we didn't want in the first week; it should not have happened. We're talking about a medical professional - in this circumstance, a doctor - who had been provided with the training material but hadn't completed it. And we're obviously very distressed about that. We're very concerned for the residents - and that was my first question, how are the residents? The good thing is that the residents are okay.

It's a salient reminder, I think, to us all how important it is that we follow the correct procedures, but also make sure that we're communicating. And we've been very open about the circumstances here. We reported it publicly, what had occurred. The Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd is undertaking an investigation. There’s been conversations from the DCMO and the CMO, Professor Paul Kelly, with the Chief Health Officer in Queensland, and those communications will continue, as they should. But-

Lisa Millar:

[Interrupts] But Mark Butler has said this is on you, the Feds are running this.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, clearly we are managing and running the rollout in aged care, and we are responsible for that - and we're happy to be up-front about that. This event should not have occurred - let's be very clear about that, this should not have occurred. And there will be additional overlays and checks that go- that are being undertaken right now to ensure we don't see a repeat of this.

We are very, very happy to share information with, not only the states, but also the community, because the thing that I do agree with the Queensland Premier about, as she's just mentioned, is that we all need to have confidence in the rollout of this vaccine. That's why it was important that we went through a full registration process with the TGA - we're very fortunate that we're in a position to be able to do that. We know that the vaccines are safe and they will protect you, as an individual, against serious illness. Those things remain the truth and are very important.

But we need to make sure that we get the process of the rollout right. And it's a huge logistical exercise. We've always been frank that there will be things that occur, that will go wrong. We're not happy about this circumstance, but we'll be doing everything we can to ensure that the proper procedures are in place in all circumstances to prevent further occurrences.

Lisa Millar:

Senator Colbeck, the ABC is broadcasting a story today that's come out of WA. Terrible examples of alleged abuse against elderly - one resident left out on a roof terrace for so long; another one allegedly dragged across a floor. It's alleged that it happened in January this year, while a Royal Commission is under way. How can this happen?

Richard Colbeck:

Lisa, I'm always extremely distressed when I hear any of these sorts of reports - it's the thing that worries me all the time, and my determination to reform the aged care sector so that we can have the best systems in place to prevent them. I don't want to go into the particulars of this case. I've had a number of briefings about it and some of the issues are contested.

But, quite frankly, we shouldn't continue to get these sorts of reports. We need to have an aged care system in this country that is world's best, that the systems that support it and the residents, most importantly, is one that provides a high quality of safe care. I don't want to see any more of these reports.

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has provided both a sanction and a notice degree- to agree on Regis; there are Coroner's reports that are being undertaken as well; and of course, there's been a police investigation and a further independent report that's been commissioned by Regis themselves. I look forward to seeing the outcomes of those things.

But the determination that I have, and we have as a Government, particularly with the royal commission report due so imminently, is to reform the system that supports senior Australians for the better, so that we just don't see a repeat of these sorts of occurrences.

Lisa Millar:

[Talks over] When are we going to see the Royal Commission report? When is it going to be made public?

Richard Colbeck:

So, the Royal Commission reports to Government this week. We're still finalising the processes around its final tabling - but that will be very soon. We're not looking to delay this at all, and we will be looking to make a response, particularly in a more formal and a broader sense, in the Budget later this year.

So, it's a significant piece of work. There were 240-odd recommendations- draft recommendations from counsel assisting to the commissioners when that information was provided late last year. So, I'm expecting a significant report that has a forensic look at the sector across all elements of it, not just residential care but home care and the services that are provided; it’s interaction with the broader health system as well. So, there is a significant piece of reform to be done off the back of this report that's due this week.

Lisa Millar:

Alright. Senator Colbeck, we'll have to leave it there. I know you're also the Sports Minister. Just very quickly, I suppose you're pretty happy about this decision that's come out of the IOC today?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I think we can all be excited about that. We are now in the very fortunate position to be the sole country, the sole city, state, that is in targeted dialogue with the IOC. It does give us something to look forward to. If you think of young athletes now who are, you know, in their formative years - if we can win this, we give them something really to look forward to, the opportunity to compete at an Olympic Games on their home soil. We know that it has real benefits in the lead up and also post the Games. So, we'll be working with Queensland and the Southeast councils to put our best foot forward to try and win this bid now.

Lisa Millar:

Senator Colbeck, thank you.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Lisa.

Close

Sylvia Jeffreys:          

We’re following two major stories this morning. The first, Brisbane is in the box seat to host the 2032 Olympics after being named the preferred candidate by the IOC.

Karl Stefanovic:         

And the second, confidence in Australia's vaccine rollout with questions over how an untrained doctor gave two elderly patients four times the recommended dose of the Pfizer jab. Richard Colbeck is the Minister who covers both and he joins us now from Canberra. We'll get to the Olympics in a moment, Richard. But first of all- the vaccine overdose; what a monumental blunder, do you take responsibility?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I'm really, really disappointed because this is the last thing that we needed in the last thing that we needed in the first week of the rollout, Karl. We’ve put an enormous amount of work and so many people have worked so hard to prepare for the rollout this week and for a mistake of this nature to occur is quite simply not acceptable. We’re really, really upset about it. The fortunate thing for us all is that the two residents are okay. The vaccine has been tested at various dose levels, including the level that these two residents received and they’re both doing okay, which is, for me, the most important thing. But of course, as you say, it doesn't help with the overall confidence in the vaccine rollout and that's why the measures that are being taken as of yesterday and overnight to - across the country - to ensure that people can have confidence in the vaccination rollout have been taken. It’s really important that we get a high level of take-up and so we continue our work in doing that.

Sylvia Jeffreys:          

Do we know why this doctor was able to administer the vaccine without completing the mandatory training?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I don't have full details on that. From what I've been told so far, the doctor had been provided with the training materials, but didn't complete them until after the incident occurred. And I have to say from a medical professional I find that somewhat outrageous.

Karl Stefanovic:         

Negligent?      

Richard Colbeck:       

The fact that, having been provided with that information, the doctor has been referred by a number of parties now to relevant authorities for investigation and I think that's clearly appropriate. The last thing we need at this stage is for confidence in the vaccine rollout to be undermined. My understanding is that at that facility there had been a 95 per cent acceptance of the vaccine. Other providers had seen 100 per cent rollout and very, very strong demand and consent for the vaccination over the last few days. We need to see that continue, particularly in this really vulnerable community.

Karl Stefanovic:         

So, is it true that those administering vaccinations in aged care facilities like we saw yesterday, only needed to complete an online course, as Sylvia mentioned, as opposed to those in hospitals? Is that true?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, my understanding is that it was an online training program. But let's not forget, Karl, that all of these people who are working are trained medical professionals. They were asked to take a specific online training program for administering the COVID-19 vaccine, but we're talking about a doctor; had years and years of medical training here in Australia. You just don't expect those sorts of mistakes to be made…

Karl Stefanovic:

[Talks over] So, how do we have any faith – and Richard, how do we have any faith in any other person who’s administering these vaccinations?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, Karl, I think we can. I mean, we’re talking about through state-run clinics around the country providing through the state hospital systems. We’re talking about doctors and GPs around the country who have been doing flu shots and administering vaccinations for a long time. I’ll most likely, Karl, go to my pharmacist who does my flu shot every year and I have confidence that they’ll get that right. So, look, I think we can have confidence in our system. It's very, very unfortunate that we’ve had this error, this really bad error, in the first week. But we’re talking about thousands of trained medical professionals, working around the country, diligently, to roll the vaccination out and I believe we can have confidence in them.

Sylvia Jeffreys:          

But our most vulnerable are the residents in aged care. That's a federal responsibility. That's where this mistake happened. The doctor at the centre of this, he works for Healthcare Australia. This is the contractor set up and ticked off by the Federal Government to provide vaccines in aged care homes. So are you now looking at - this mob too, the Healthcare Australia, are reportedly failing to meet their deadlines in other capital cities with the vaccination roll out. So, is their contract now under review? Are you looking at that?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, I know, having spoken to Minister Hunt, that he’s put them pretty much on notice. There have been some logistical issues in the first week of the rollout. We said that would happen. But it's important that we continue this process around the country to make sure that these very vulnerable people do get their vaccine first, which is what we’ve planned to do. But they are on notice, Minister Hunt’s had a conversation with them and he’s also overlaid his own independent verification process with respect to the training being completed. So - and I understand Victoria’s doing the same thing through everyone that’s being vaccinated in Victoria. So, both the states and the Commonwealth are undertaking a further overlay of oversight in this circumstance and we’ll continue to do that. The quality systems that underpin this are really important and ensuring that the proper procedures are followed, so that people get the right doses, as we’ve seen in this case, but the vaccine rollout goes effectively and smoothly is really important. But there will be some things that occur along the day. I spent an hour on the phone with providers from around the country yesterday. They’re seeing great levels of take-up and enthusiasm for the vaccine from the residents in their facilities. Bu, there have been a couple of hiccups with respect to some of the logistics that have occurred and that will happen, but as the rollout continues to develop, those things will also get better and our communications and support will do as well.

Karl Stefanovic:         

If it was my grandmother or my grandfather, I've got to tell you, I would be ropeable. I would be so upset because you have said they're going to be safe, they need to take it, and then this happened. It's beyond comprehension, Richard. I mean, have you spoken to these families?

Richard Colbeck:       

No, look, I haven't had the opportunity to talk to the families, Karl. But can I say, I think we need to be really, really careful with our language here. The vaccine has been tested at different levels of dose as a part of its testing process. That’s one of the advantages that we have as a country, in relation to our full TGA approval process. So it has been tested at four times the dose with no ill side-effects, as far as we’ve been advised as a part of the process. So, we are monitoring these residents really closely. We are very, very sorry for them and their families and we know that they would be worried. I'm like you, Karl, I'd be really upset if my mum or dad were in a situation where they hadn't received the correct dose and we need to be very, very vigilant. And if anything, this is a very, very salient reminder to us all to make sure that the processes that we’re undertaking are followed and that goes for everybody down the supply chain to those that are administering the vaccine to Australians across the country. This is a really, really important time for us. It's a very, very important time and turning point in our management of the COVID pandemic.

Sylvia Jeffreys:          

Minister, there is some good news around this morning, thankfully. Brisbane's Olympic dreams are a step closer. Fantastic news, but we’re just wondering if you can explain to us what exactly does, preferred candidate, mean?

Richard Colbeck:       

So, Sylvia, we’re now entering what’s called, targeted dialogue, with the IOC through the Brisbane bid process. That means we are the only ones negotiating with the IOC for the 2032 games. So, a lot of work to do. Our officials at a state, Commonwealth and local government level are already starting to work together with respect to this bid, but it puts us in a really, really strong position. Clearly, the front runners for the 2032 games and in addition, to go exclusively to targeted dialogue with Australia. They could have chosen to go to targeted dialogue with a number of countries, but they’ve chosen just Australia, the IOC. They’ve recognised a number of our attributes; obviously we’re a great sporting country, we have a great history of very successfully running major events like the Olympics. Melbourne in '56 and who will forget Sydney in 2000. But a number of other events that we do extremely well also. And- but also, they’ve spoken to a number of global financial institutions to look at our strength in those areas. The fact that our hotel stock already meets their standards, our transport systems, what we’re proposing to do with respect to venues, all of those things have been taken into account as part of this decision, so it puts us in a really good place.

Karl Stefanovic:         

Okay. Well, it’s ours to lose and we’re not going to lose it.

Sylvia Jeffreys:          

We know how Queenslanders feel about losing. [Laughter]

Richard Colbeck:       

Thank you, Richard.

Close

Lucy Breaden:

So Tasmanian frontline workers have been rolling up their sleeves today as the State Government's rollout of the coronavirus vaccine gets underway in Hobart. Around 200 people from high priority groups will receive their jab by the end of the day at the vaccination hub at the Royal Hobart Hospital, with more than 1100 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to be administered this week alone. While in the state's north and northwest, aged care residents started receiving their vaccines yesterday. So how is that rollout going?

Tasmanian Liberal Senator Richard Colbeck joins me now. He's the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services. Good afternoon, Minister.

Richard Colbeck:

Afternoon, Lucy.

Lucy Breaden:

We’re more than 24 hours into this vaccination program now, how are aged care residents feeling now that some of them at least have been immunised?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the feedback that I've had so far is that the take-up has been strong, which is fantastic. That's exactly what we want to see. Aged care residents are, as we've learnt too cruelly, the most vulnerable in our community with respect to the impact of COVID-19, so that's why they've been prioritised. So, a good start. And of course, that rollout will continue to ramp up as additional supplies of the vaccine become available. We have had another shipment arrive overnight to come off the back of the first 142,000 doses that arrived last week. And so, it's good to see that starting to move and of course, the frontline workers who are receiving their vaccines in Hobart as of today, which is great.

Lucy Breaden:

Where will that next batch go?

Richard Colbeck:

So, what's occurred is that the department in conjunction with the two providers, Healthcare Australia, who are doing New South Wales and Queensland, Aspen Medical doing Tassie and the other states, have formulated based on risk. So, they've done a risk profile around the country as to where the vaccinations will go first and in what order. They've also looked at the facilities and the groupings of facilities together. We need to make sure that we get the maximum out of the available vials that we have. So, working out the numbers of people to be vaccinated, their general proximity, and then our capacity to work in groups of facilities to maximise the doses. And that work's been done also in conjunction with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, and a risk matrix has been built out amongst those groups.

Lucy Breaden:

Senator Richard Colbeck is my guest, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services. If you are listening, have you received the jab, the vaccine? How did it go for you? How are you feeling now? Do you have any, I guess, strange side effects, a few hours or 25 hours on, or is everything just feeling tip top? 1300-222-936. So, in saying all of that, Richard Colbeck, will more come to the state?

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah, look, we will continue to be making deliveries at similar levels as we have done for the first couple of weeks, as the supply starts to build up. And of course, in a few weeks’ time, we’ll have access to the AstraZeneca vaccine as well, and that will be starting to be delivered. That's the sovereign manufactured product from here in Australia. So there's about 3.8 million doses due to start coming in from Europe alongside the Pfizer vaccine. And so, as we get more vaccine available, we'll start ramping up the scale of the vaccination process and we'll start opening it up to the additional phases as we get access to more vaccine as well with the objective of getting everyone who's living in Australia vaccinated by the end of October.

Lucy Breaden:

There must be some huge logistics behind this rollout.

Richard Colbeck:

Look, it is the biggest logistics exercise that we've conducted in this country, probably since the war, but for a long, long time so it's a significant exercise. Of course, the Pfizer vaccine has to be stored at -70 degrees before it's thought to be distributed out for its application. The AstraZeneca one, fortunately, can be held at normal refrigerated levels, but it is a huge logistical exercise to distribute it and then make sure that we use it most effectively and efficiently in applying it to people around Australia.

Lucy Breaden:

What does this mean in terms of aged care? What does it mean for people who are now wanting to visit family members and friends, given some of them may have likely had the vaccine in aged care facilities? Will any rules be relaxed?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the AHPPC and the Aged Care Advisory Committee continue to monitor what the vaccine will actually do. One of the reasons that we're prioritising residents at this stage in proceedings is because we don't know yet, in full detail, what the vaccine does in the context of preventing transmission. What we do know is that it's safe and it's effective in stopping you getting really sick. So they're the key things. So that's why we're prioritising senior Australians first and then those people that work with them. But progressively, we’re hoping that we're able to get back to a much more normal way of life. But there's still things that we need to learn about the vaccine. And, of course, the way that the virus is evolving over time, too, with the new variants that are appearing. So, the bottom line is that we'll still need to remain disciplined with respect to our COVID behaviours, so social distancing, cough and sneeze etiquette and particularly washing our hands.

Lucy Breaden:

How long do you think that will take for us to find out, I guess, the true effects, the full effects of these vaccines?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the advice that I've been getting is that towards the middle of the year, we'll have much more information. We're starting to get some early information through from places like Israel, who've got a large proportion of their community vaccinated, and also from the UK. We're watching that very closely. Our senior health officials are maintaining regular contact with officials in those countries so that we can understand what's occurring. And as the peer reviewed information comes through, of course, it will be considered by the AHPPC and the various health committees that are supporting the vaccination process and the rollout.

Lucy Breaden:

Richard Colbeck is my guest, Liberal Senator in Tasmania. Before I let you go, we have heard that news from the Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, saying that Facebook intends to restore Australian newspapers in the coming days, and the Government has agreed to some amendments to the news bargaining code. What are those amendments?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think they relate to the process- and I've just started hearing this news come through too. They relate to the processes around arbitration towards the end of the processes that- of- the relationship between the platforms and the news outlets. So, look, I think there's some quite subtle changes that are being considered by the Treasurer, but I think it's A) good news that Facebook is back at the table, and huge credit to the Treasurer that he's been able to negotiate an outcome that works for all parties. It was, I think, completely unreasonable of Facebook to take the action that they took last week and particularly the impact that it had on so many people around the place who lost access to their information or whose information was taken down.

Lucy Breaden:

It was certainly a shock, that's for sure. And finally, as a Tasmanian senator, are you happy with the JobSeeker increase of $25 per week from April, or do you think it should have been higher, in your opinion?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I think it makes a real contribution to assisting people who are in the situation of having to seek work. It strikes a fine balance. There are a range of other supports that go along with it. I think it's important that we consider that in the discussion that we're having. 99 per cent of people aren’t just on JobSeeker, there's a range of other supports that go with them to support them in the community as well. So I think it's an appropriate increase. It's an important one that we let people know at this point in time with the COVID provisions coming to an end in a few weeks. So people understanding where they sit and being able to plan for that was important.

Lucy Breaden:

We'll leave it there. Thanks for your time today.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much, Lucy.

Lucy Breaden:

Senator Richard Colbeck, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, also Minister for Sport, joining me there to talk about a range of things.

Close

E&OE...

Martin Agatyn:

Today was a big day in Australian history with the rolling out of the COVID-19 vaccination and obviously senior Australians, and you're the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, right at the front of the queue to get this.

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah. Look, really important that we protect those who need it- need protection the most first. And so today in aged care facilities across the north of Tassie, and the North West.  Ulverstone, Penguin, Burnie, Wynyard. We start vaccinating the first of the senior Australians in residential aged care. 240 facilities across the country in 190 communities will be done over the next six weeks.

Martin Agatyn:

Okay. And from all accounts, it’s been rolled out without any dramas today? everything's gone pretty well, as good as it could?

Richard Colbeck:

Everything I've heard has been positive, strong desire to have the vaccine, which is great. We want as many people as possible to take the vaccine. That's the best way to protect themselves, their families, the community and the country so that we can get back to being as normal as possible again. And so really important. And there- that's the Pfizer vaccine that's been rolled out around the country to senior Australians, frontline workers, also hospital workers-

Martin Agatyn:

Quarantine workers.

Richard Colbeck:

Quarantine workers, they’re all been done. And that's that work this week is being based out of the Royal Hobart in- down south.

Martin Agatyn:

Okay. And eventually we'll all get it, but it'll take probably five or six months or even longer?

Richard Colbeck:

The objective is to offer everyone in the country, everyone living here, a vaccine by the end of October. The specific timings on that will depend on the supply of the vaccine as it rolls out. But we're very lucky to have a sovereign capacity to manufacture here in Australia. And there’s 50 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine being manufactured here in Australia. The first doses of the Pfizer have come in from overseas and will continue to do so. But we're very, very well placed to offer everyone in the country, progressively, the opportunity to take up a vaccine. And of course, we're encouraging everybody to do so. So the next phase, 1B, is people over 70 years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, over 55. Younger people who might have a medical condition or a disability. and those are- some more critical high risk workers, including some of the defence [Indistinct] fire emergency services.

Martin Agatyn:

[Talks over] And I’ve had a look, I’m in phase 2A, which is people over 60. So it'll happen- it will roll out eventually. Just- do we know, you may not know the nuts and bolts ends for this one. But do we have to just rock up and get it or are we going to be notified that we’re due to get it? How’s that part of it going to work?

Richard Colbeck:

There'll be a public campaign to advise people as to when their categories available. I think there's about 3000 doctors across the country have put their hand up to administer the vaccine.

Martin Agatyn:

And pharmacists.

Richard Colbeck.

And pharmacists on top of that. And there's also going to be vaccination hubs based out of various hospitals around the country. And there'll be three of those in Tassie, one of the North West Regional Hospital, one of the LJH in Launceston and one in Hobart.

Martin Agatyn

Okay. So there will be a big public information campaign to go along with this. And I just wonder whether we're all going to get SMSs or letters in the mail or that's how it'll work. While I've got you, Richard. You recently announced a new- or amendment, I should say, to legislation for serious incident response scheme to do with aged care. And we've seen from the Royal Commission, you know, some of the things that have gone on in the past. So we need to-  apart from having the new regulations in place. We also need a procedure of what happens after something's been reported.

Richard Colbeck:

Look, that's right. And this is implementing one of the recommendations out of a previous report that was done for the government. And it expands the scope of reporting of incidents within aged care, specifically to include resident on resident impact, particularly where one of the residents might have a cognitive impairment. And so we get a full picture of what's occurring within the facilities. And it also brings in some new penalties that are available to be utilised to support the new scheme, but also the monitoring that goes with it. So that's an important part of it. There's some- there's funding for additional capacity, for example, for the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission so that they can A, monitor and then B, manage the impact of this and deal with the situations as they arise.

Martin Agatyn:

Okay, and the first stage of that actually rolls out in April, early April?

Richard Colbeck:

Yes, we announced as part of a COVID-19- COVID report response from the Royal Commission that we'd bring that forward. We've been working on it for a period of time so the first phase of that starts in April and will roll out from there. And of course, as we've discussed a couple of times, the final report of the Royal Commission is due this week. So not only a historic week in the context of commencing of the COVID vaccination rollout, it's a pretty big week in aged care more generally.

Martin Agatyn:

It is. And we'll talk about that final report in more detail when we catch up again in a fortnight, Richard. But thanks for your time today. I really appreciate it.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much, Martin.

Close

E & OE...

Laura Jayes: 

Aged care residents and workers are among the first Australians to be vaccinated against coronavirus this week – 240 aged care centres in more than 190 locations across the country will roll out the Pfizer vaccine. This is in an attempt to protect some of the most vulnerable in the community. But it won't be compulsory, after the peak health committee decided against it to avoid backlash. Richard Colbeck is the Minister for Aged Care Services. He joins me now.

Richard, thanks so much for your time.

Richard Colbeck:     

[Talks over] Hi, Laura.

Laura Jayes: 

Why did the AHPPC decide against making this compulsory?

Richard Colbeck:     

Well, it was based on the information that was available to the AHPPC at the time, and there remains a question as to whether the vaccine effectively prevents transmission of the virus, and that would be the reason that you would make it compulsory. There is more information starting to come through and the AHPPC have said that they will keep this matter open and make a decision if that's what the information- the medical advice and information shows - so it remains an open matter. But at the point in time when the AHPPC met, considered that particular issue, the question remained, at that point, and still remains as to how effective the vaccine was at preventing transmission. And that is why it’s [indistinct]…

Laura Jayes:

[Interrupts] There’s some evidence out of Israel, just in the last couple of days – and I know it's not concrete evidence and it hasn't been published yet - that the Pfizer vaccine is more effective than stopping transmission. Now, is part of that the reason why the Pfizer vaccine is being rolled out to aged care? Or will it be a mix?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the reason we're using the Pfizer vaccine is because that's the one we have first. And these people are our priority - the frontline workers that we've been talking about, the residents in residential aged care and disability care, and also the workers that support them. They are the highest priority. We have the access to the Pfizer vaccine first, that's why we're rolling it out to them first. The majority of aged care residents will get the Pfizer vaccine, and workers and frontline workers. But there may be some, depending on circumstances, that do access the AstraZeneca vaccine. And we must remember that, at this point in time, the whole focus is protecting senior Australians, Australians more broadly, and both vaccines are very effective at that.

Laura Jayes: 

If aged care workers decide not to get this vaccine, will they still be able to give face to face care in aged care homes?

Richard Colbeck:

Well again, that will come down to the health advice from the AHPPC, that's why we're prioritising the rollout this week to the residents. They are the ones who are most vulnerable, and so giving them the vaccine and commencing that process of providing protection to them is very, very important. And if we continue to get strong uptake - which is what the indications that I've seen so far are from the providers that have given some indication - strong levels of interest and desire to have the vaccine, that protects the residents against serious illness and disease, and that's the most important thing for us at this point in time.

Laura Jayes:

Is there no health advice to date so far about that face to face care? And whether that stops, whether you’re vaccinated or not?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we have a range of precautions in place within residential aged care facilities already, particularly in circumstances where there's community transmission of the vaccine. But all of the things that we've been practising for the last year - hand hygiene, sneezing into your elbow, maintaining a social distance - all of those things should be maintained while we learn more about how, what the effects of the vaccine is, how it works, and it's strengthen in- with respect to preventing transmission. So we need to maintain all of those disciplines.

Maintaining our focus on infection control within aged care facilities is something that we will continue to do - it's a strong focus. We're working with the states on that as well to maintain that level, to strengthen the training within residential aged care facilities around infection control. We've learnt how very important it is for COVID, but it also has impacts for other things like gastro and the flu. And so, maintaining that discipline, I think, is going to be something that’s- will be a continuing feature of the delivery of aged care.

Laura Jayes: 

What do you expect the uptake to be amongst staff in aged care centres?

Richard Colbeck:     

Look, I’m hoping that it’s high, and that’s the indications that we’re seeing so far – not just in aged care, but I think that there’s a great anticipation in the community. Today’s a really important day, that we start vaccinating, that we start protecting those that are the most vulnerable. But as we gain access to more supplies of the vaccine [audio skip] we can expand the roll out to other groups within the community, protect ourselves, hopefully protect against community transmission and get back to a more normal form of lifestyle.

Laura Jayes: 

But, Minister, is there a goal in mind for staff at aged care centres? Is it 100 per cent? Is it 95 per cent? What’s the goal?

Richard Colbeck:     

Look, I would urge every person who works in a residential [audio skip] to take up the vaccine. The AHPPC will continue will continue to monitor the information that comes back to us from other jurisdictions. You’ve mentioned Israel, but we’re also talking to our colleagues in the UK about what they’re seeing with respect to transmission. And if it is the circumstance that a strong uptake, or a strong level of vaccination will prevent transmission, the AHPPC will reconsider its decision with respect to compulsory vaccination or otherwise, in the similar way that we’ve done with the flu.

Laura Jayes: 

Okay. And that uptake is relatively high. The million-dollar question, I might say Minister, is what happens after this vaccine roll out is completed in aged care centres, when- a, when will that be complete? And does it mean that we can visit our grandparents as much as we want?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, we’re aiming to get through the first round of vaccinations within six weeks, and we know that the Ast- the Pfizer vaccine provides a level of protection pretty quickly after the dose is administered – so that’s great news. We want to be able to have the operation of our aged care facilities coming back to normal as quickly as possible, and I know that’s one of the aspirations that residents in aged care are already talking about. They want to be able to go back out for little trips, opportunities to get out, have friends and visitors come back in and see them - so, they’re all looking forward to that. And so, the roll out of the vaccine is a serious enabler for that, and as we work our way through the community that will become more possible.

Laura Jayes: 

So, just to be very clear on that – if you’re vaccinated, if you live in an aged care home, will you be able to go outside and go on those excursions as you’ve explained?

Richard Colbeck:     

Well, that’s what the residents are looking forward to being able to do. At this point in time, based on what we know about the vaccine, it protects the person who’s been vaccinated. We’re watching very, very closely the issues around what it does with respect to transmission. And as we learn more about that, I think that will be one of the things that opens up the opportunities for people to move more freely.

Laura Jayes: 

Okay. So, not quite yet. You need more evidence. Is that what you're saying?

Richard Colbeck:     

Look, I think we do. We're very, very early in the in the process here in Australia at the moment, and as you've said, we're only just starting to see some evidence coming from other jurisdictions with respect to what it does in relation to transmission. And the thing that we really need to keep at the front of our mind is we need to protect these older Australians who are in residential aged care facilities, because they are the most vulnerable people in the country.

Laura Jayes: 

Now, I know you caught a bit of a glimpse of Jane then. We were lucky enough to have her on the programme. She said she didn't recognise the Prime Minister, she apologised to him very publicly this morning. But she's urging everyone to go out and get the vaccine. She seems to be a bit of an influence, Richard Colbeck. I've just got a message here from one of our wonderful viewers, Rod. He said: she's a wonderful Australian. Such an inspiration. I'm 68. Was a bit apprehensive about the vaccine but now, after watching the interview this morning, I'll definitely go and get it. She seems like someone you need on your books.

Richard Colbeck:     

Look, she was fantastic. I have to say, I really did have a smile. She's learnt a bit about the direction of her hand signals, which is great. But the important thing that she said this morning was that, you know, no side effects for her and I know that that's been something that people have been concerned about. We know that the vaccine will protect her now that she's had it and she's having no side effects. She looked really sprightly this morning. It was great to see her in such good form, and the fact that she was looking forward to catching up with her friends as well. So- really pleased to have had- to see her yesterday get the jab, and be in great nick today.

Laura Jayes: 

Yeah, absolutely. Richard Colbeck, thanks so much for your time.

Richard Colbeck:     

Thanks Laura.

Close

We are fortunate in Australia to have access to one of the best healthcare systems in the world, which places us in an enviable position to deliver safe and effective vaccines.

The availability and timely rollout of the Federal Government’s five stage comprehensive vaccination program will be critical in protecting Australians from COVID-19.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has provisionally approved the Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd and AstraZeneca Pty Ltd COVID-19 vaccines, meaning they are safe for use.

Through the Government’s Advance Purchase Agreements, Australia will receive 20 million Pfizer and 53.8 million AstraZeneca doses in 2021. On 15 February, the first Pfizer doses arrived in Australia and will begin to roll out across the country this week.

Aged care and disability care residents and workers, frontline health care workers and quarantine and border workers will fit into Phase 1a- these priority recipients have been determined based on the advice of the Australian Technical Advisory group on Immunisation (ATAGI) which oversees Australia’s world class vaccination program.

Importantly, North West residential aged care homes will be among the first in Tasmania to receive vaccines from today. These include facilities in Burnie, Penguin, Somerset, Ulverstone, West Ulverstone and Wynyard.

Across the country, it’s expected the vaccines will reach more than 2,600 residential aged care facilities, more than 183,000 residents and 339,000 staff.

Of course, the vaccine is voluntary, however it is strongly recommended to protect yourself and your family from the virus.

In the meantime, good hand hygiene, physical distancing and wearing masks, particularly in residential aged care facilities will go a long way in keeping safe during the pandemic.

There is a path forward for Tasmania but we must all play our part.

Close

Fran Kelly:

The aged care sector is racing to prepare for the start of the COVID vaccine rollout next week, with residents and workers at the front of the queue when vaccines are being administered from Monday. The federal government's promised that half a million staff and residents will get their jabs in the coming weeks, protecting a sector that has been hit hard by the pandemic. Three out of four COVID deaths in this country, more than 600 of them linked to aged care. The rollout will start the same week that the final report from the Aged Care Royal Commission will be handed down, with calls for a major overhaul of the sector growing even before its release.

Richard Colbeck is the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services. Minister, welcome back to Breakfast.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Fran.

Fran Kelly:

You're expecting vaccinations to kick off at 240 aged care facilities next week. Is the workforce ready to go from Monday?

Richard Colbeck:

Yes, there's been considerable work that's been done with two providers across the country to do in-reach into residential aged care, and 240 facilities will start next week - in fact, from Monday. So we're looking to get the residents done initially and then we'll follow up with staff members in those facilities.

Fran Kelly:

Now, the timeline the government's put forward, I understand, is for the vaccine rollout in aged care to take six weeks in total. There's 30,000 people due to be vaccinated next week, which is a small slice of the half a million workers and residents in aged care to be vaccinated in that six weeks. How are you going to manage that?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that's the first dose that we're intending to get done in that period of time. Obviously, there's a three-week period between doses of the Pfizer vaccine, and some of the residents and workforce will get the AstraZeneca vaccine. And, of course, the period that's been recommended between doses for that is a little longer. But we're aiming to get the first dose rolled out within that six-week period.

Fran Kelly:

So, to half a million workers and residents?

Richard Colbeck:

That's right. So we've got Health Care Australia looking after New South Wales and Queensland, and Aspen Medical will be looking after the other states and territories. And the vaccine rollout will start, as I've said, in 240 facilities across all states, territories, metro and regional from next Monday.

Fran Kelly:

And how will the rollout happen? I understand people won't have to travel. They'll get the vaccine from a trained - I don't know what we call that – vaccinator? How will that process work in the aged care homes?

Richard Colbeck:

So, we have in-reach going into every single provider. We've provided information to each facility, detailed advice and checklists around what we will be seeking with respect to consent, giving some advice with respect to clinical assessment of residents, providing advice importantly to residents and families with respect to what they can expect. And of course, the consent information is also important because, for some residents, it’ll be family members or delegates who will be providing that consent, and so providing the information for them to be able to make that decision in time is to be a very important part of the process.

Fran Kelly:

Okay. But you're saying it’s ready to go. What about the next stage? People who are aged over 70 who don't live in residential aged care facilities, when will they get the vaccine?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, they will commence as part of Phase 1b, and they will be able to go to their GP, their pharmacy or state based clinic to receive their vaccine. And-

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] From when?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that will be dependent on supply. And so that process, as we've always said, is dependent on the ramping up of supply and availability of vaccine coming into the country, and of course, the availability of the locally manufactured capacity. And we're very, very fortunate that we've got that AstraZeneca capacity to manufacture here in Australia. And as Minister Hunt announced this week, the first vials of that were bottled only in the last few days.

Fran Kelly:

I'll come to that in a moment. But just in terms of those listening who are over 70, who are living at home, might want to know a bit more. So what's your timeline? You must be working to some timeline, Minister, for this rollout Phase 1b for older Australians?

Richard Colbeck:

As I've said, Fran, that is that is dependent on the arrival of the vaccine in Australia, and also the availability of the locally produced product. We don't have specific timelines on that, we're talking early March. But as soon as we've got that availability we’ll be letting people know the process. The information will be going out to the doctors, pharmacies, appropriate training, importantly, and of course, the availability through state based health clinics and systems.

Fran Kelly:

Okay. There's a lot of interest in who gets which vaccine, because the efficacy rates from Pfizer generally, in general terms, better than the what the data shows for the AstraZeneca vaccine - that's the one Australia will have the most of and will produce here. How many aged care residents will get Pfizer? And how many will get AstraZeneca?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that'll depend on availability, and in some circumstances, location. So the Pfizer vaccine will be based out of the specialised hubs that hold the vaccine at this -70-degree temperature. The AstraZeneca vaccine obviously can be refrigerated in a normal circumstance, so there's a lot more flexibility in respect to that. Everyone will be offered a vaccine, both vaccines are safe and they work. And so that's the important thing for us, to ensure that everyone has the availability of a vaccine that is, a, safe, and has the appropriate efficacy. And that's the process that we've been through with respect to the approval, to ensure that the vaccines are both safe and that they work - and that's the process that's been approved by the TGA.

Fran Kelly:

Okay. But there are questions about do they work as well? I mean, the TGA has signed off on AstraZeneca for people over 18 but says the decision to use it on elderly people should be taken on a case by case basis. Here’s the head of the TGA, John Skerritt.

[Excerpt]

John Skerritt:

Look at what doctors call futility. If someone only has a few weeks to live, you don't give them a hip replacement and you may not give them a vaccine or a medicine. So that's where we’re hinting at. But the vaccine is recommended for use in all ages.

[End of Excerpt]

Fran Kelly:     

So, that’s John Skerritt from the TGA saying it's recommended for people of all ages. But the TGA’s notes say that the trials of AstraZeneca had, quote: an insufficient number of participants infected by COVID-19 to conclusively determine the efficacy in the subgroup of over 65s. So given that, why wouldn't we use the Pfizer supplies in Australia for those older Australians?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, the TGA wouldn't have approved it for all ages if it wasn't suitable, and safe and efficacious for all ages. That's why they approved it. I think Professor Skerritt’s words are very, very clear with respect to the considerations around whether to, or not to vaccinate - I think his example was extremely clear. But they would not have approved for use in all ages if it wasn't suitable for use in all ages.

Fran Kelly:     

As we're speaking, and this reflects the conversations I’m sure you're having all the time, I would say people are concerned about which vaccine they get. Someone's asking to Phase 1b people - that's the older Australians who live outside aged care homes - will they get the Pfizer? Are you telling us that that will be a mix of both? There's no one cohort will get one vaccine?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, that's effectively correct. The- Most people in Australia will get the AstraZeneca vaccine because we have more doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. We have 20 million doses of Pfizer at this stage. We have just under 54 million doses of AstraZeneca. If the Novavax vaccine is approved by the TGA, some people will get that. That will all be part of our ramp up. Most likely the Novavax will come in through the Phase 2b, but both Pfizer and AstraZeneca will be utilised through Phase 1a and subsequent phases.

Fran Kelly:     

Okay. Vaccination of residential aged care workers remains voluntary, as it does for all Australians. But some aged care providers, including Pat Sparrow from Aged Care Community Services Australia, wants vaccine to become a workplace requirement in aged care. Already, aged care workers, I think, have to have a flu jab. Why shouldn't they have to have a COVID jab?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, that's based on the evidence, and the AHPPC deliberately hasn't made a recommendation with respect to the COVID vaccine because we don’t-

Fran Kelly:     

[Interrupts] No. But that’s not about evidence.

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, well, it is because we don't know yet whether it prevents transmission. That's why we are vaccinating residents first, because they are the ones that are at risk and so they are the first ones to get the vaccination. It's- the issue for us is understanding whether or not the vaccine prevents transmission, which provides the barrier between the virus in the community transmitting via the workforce to residents. So, we're starting with the residents because they are the ones that are most at risk and then we’re working to-

Fran Kelly:     

[Interrupts] I understand that. But isn't there an issue that even, even with the transmission question not answered about a vaccine - meaning people don't get as sick, therefore the viral load isn't so extreme, therefore it would be safer to have them in a workplace? Isn't that a safeguard we should be looking at?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, forgive me for accepting the medical advice of the AHPPC rather than the advice of the aged care sector lobby groups. That's the thing that's served us so well all the way through this COVID pandemic - we've acted on the advice of the AHPPC, we will continue to do that. That- the question of compulsory vaccination for aged care workers remains an open question. We will continue to look at the evidence as it comes in.

We will- we have the advantage of seeing what's happening in other countries, particularly in the UK, with respect to the AstraZeneca vaccine and if that process demonstrates a prevention of transmission and a protection through that process, that information will be considered by the AHPPC, the Age Care Advisory Group, and then a recommendation will be made.

Fran Kelly:     

Alright. Minister, in terms of the Aged Care Royal Commission expected to hand down its final report next week - now there's a coalition of aged care providers, we spoke to them earlier in the week, saying the system is broken after years of, quote: piecemeal, ad hoc bandages. It says providers need better regulation and better resourcing. Do you accept a major overhaul of the sector is required and that will include much higher funding? The sector's talking about $20 billion more a year.

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, I think the Prime Minister, when he called the Royal Commission, indicated that there’ll be additional resources required - I think we understand that. But it’s-

Fran Kelly:     

[Interrupts] In that order? Of that order?

Richard Colbeck:

But it's not just about money. Very significant reform required, in my view, to the sector. I think you can see, from Counsel Assisting’s recommendations to the commissioners that were released before Christmas, that they are clearly heading in that direction. We are now a week and a half away from the final report. We will very, very carefully consider the recommendations of the Royal Commission. We've done a considerable amount of work ourselves in preparation for that process. And the aged care sector will undergo significant reform off the back of the Royal Commission process.

Fran Kelly:     

And just finally, Minister, on the rape allegations levelled by a former staffer who worked for Minister Linda Reynolds. Have you taken steps in your office to ensure that all staff are treated with appropriate respect? And if someone came to you with a serious complaint, how would you handle it?

Richard Colbeck:

Yes. In fact, I gathered all my staff in all my offices, and those that couldn't be in the office because of the restrictions in Victoria, yesterday together to talk them through these issues. I have to say my heart sank for Brittany when I heard what had occurred to her and her circumstances. The fact that she's being having, having panic attacks when coming to Parliament House indicates to me that she's not in a good way and I'm very, very concerned for her welfare. And my concern is that the workplace in my office is one that's respectful and where workers feel safe, all my staff feel safe; and if they have something that they need to come and talk to me about, the door's open to do that and that's what I told them yesterday.

Fran Kelly:     

Richard Colbeck, thank you very much for joining us.

Richard Colbeck:       

Thanks very much, Fran.

Fran Kelly:     

Richard Colbeck is the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services.

 

Close

E&OE...

Martin Agatyn:

Something we didn’t talk about last time we spoke, and I think I may have overlooked this, but I wanted to mention it today. Last month you announced some funding to extend dementia training, education and support. In fact, over $40 million worth of funding which is great.

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah, look, and it’s really important in the context of how we continue to improve services we're providing for old Australians in aged care. And there’s about 400,000 – 450,000 Australians who we estimate have a diagnosis of dementia. But in residential aged care, it's about half. So, ensuring that people have the skills to understand the work that they're doing, but also to support services with some of the programs that we have is really important. So, Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service, certain severe behaviour response teams and also some capacity around this needs based assessment for specialist dementia care program. All of those things are funded through this program, which is an extension of existing funding so that it gets this out beyond the Royal Commission, which will make some more recommendations around dementia care, I'm sure. But really important aspects to ensure that people who are unfortunate enough to have a diagnosis with dementia and can have access to appropriate services.

Martin Agatyn:

[Interrupts] And it doesn’t always- it’s not always aged people that are affected by dementia, it can affect people of any age.

Richard Colbeck:

Look, that's right. And it's something that we're learning so much more about this disease. Unfortunately, some younger people are affected by dementia as well, and it can be extremely difficult. But one of the really good things that I've seen in the last couple of years in particular is the increasing engagement of people who do have dementia in the construction of the program that are being offered to support them and the programs that are there to help provide their care. So, a lot more engagement and a change in attitude to the way that we're looking at this is as a condition, because a lot of people who have dementia have said to me and the support programs that work with them, that there is a real tendency for people to effectively lose their voice once they have a diagnosis. And they still have perspectives, they still have important views. And these programmes can assist with making sure that that's heard.

Martin Agatyn:

Yeah. There’s such a lot we don’t know about it too, isn’t there? The aged care- sorry, today you announced an Aged Care Voluntary Industry Code of Practice. First of all, my question would be: why do we need one? I would have thought that the regulations in place and obviously following on from recommendations of the royal commission into aged care, there would be fairly strong guidelines already in place.

Richard Colbeck:

Look, this is a voluntary tool that's been developed by the sector itself, which is really good. It was one of the recommendations of a review into building the workforce called A Matter of Care that was released a couple of years ago. And so, it was released by the Aged Care Workforce Industry Council last Friday. And it has some really important elements. And what's really pleasing for me is that there's been strong take up from the sector already in signing up to the voluntary Code. But importantly, some of the tools that it brings in ensuring high quality care. But one of those elements is also increasing a continuous improvement in that care. So, some really good principles in how care is delivered by the sector. And it was really good to see those- some of the providers who had already signed up to the Code that were at the launch on Friday, along with Professor John Pollaers, who was the author of the A Matter of Care report a couple of years ago. So, good to see some action coming out of that process, basically being driven by the sector, which is important given that they are the key providers of- or, employers, of people in the aged care sector.

Martin Agatyn:

[Interrupts] So, this will work hand in hand with the regulations and the laws that are going to be enacted rather than replacing them?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it picks up the principles. So any changes that are made to the current system will- this will enable them to be blended into any new processes. It talks about the quality standards and a number of principles around the provision of care. Seven principles are incorporated into the Code. And so, as- and as I indicated, importantly, it talks about continuous improvement. So as those things change, they can be incorporated into the way that the Code operates.

Martin Agatyn:

Okay, now moving along, if you can take off your aged care hat and put your Sports Minister hat on. You've just announced only recently, in fact, the appointment of a new chair of the Australian Sports Commission.

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah, so, look, it's a really important position and announcement. And I was really delighted that we've been able to announce Josephine Sukkar as the new Chair. It's the first female Chair of the Sports Commission, someone who has a considerable background in industry, but also a close connection with sport as the Chair of Women's Rugby Australia. And during that period of time obviously women's rugby has become a part of- become an Olympic sport.

Martin Agatyn:

Yeah.

Richard Colbeck:

Of course, we won a gold medal at the last Olympics. So a) great to see that occurring. And I'm really looking forward to working with Josephine and all of that she brings from a range of perspectives to sport. It's an important decision, and obviously the Australian Sports Commission plays a significant role in the leadership of elite sport, but also participation of sport in Australia. And so she's been working in all of those areas, particularly in rugby, but really pleased to see her on board and a very strong level of support to the announcement that we made last week.

Martin Agatyn:

And it's appropriate this year, of course, being the fourth anniversary of the Australian Institute of Sport or the AIS. Both you and I, Richard, are old enough to remember when it was founded. It was after a very dismal performance in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. I don't think we've got a single gold medal, did we, that year?

Richard Colbeck:

That's correct. There was no gold medals at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. It was pretty tough. And members of parliament on both sides of the political aisle were very determined that that didn't take place. A lot of the development work occurred post that process. And Malcolm Fraser, when he opened the AIS in 1981, said, you know, this is a turning point for us. And it has been, and it's been wonderful to see the AIS grow from an organisation that had a relatively small number of athletes looking after a few sports to being one that now has, through the National Institute Network, about 2200 athletes working through that network in any one time, all supporting them in their endeavours to represent Australia or to play sport at the best possible level.

Martin Agatyn:

It would be fair to say the AIS has been a huge success, and I know it was based loosely on what happened in some communist countries prior to the wall coming down in the Iron Curtain. And they were all state run, you know. And we know they were using drugs, of course, but we took all the good points out of them and not the bad ones, I think.

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah. And look, it's continued to evolve. It's not what it was when it started. And you talk to athletes and things like the decentralisation of the organisation is things that they really welcome. So, you know, it's- I think it's played a really important part in our national success in sport. And you have various elements spread around the country. Cycling in South Australia, we saw the-

Martin Agatyn:

[Interrupts] Yeah, which I still maintain should have been in Launceston. But that's a thing of the past.

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah, and look, I think there's a few Tasmanians who probably share that view. It was great to see the men's and women's rowing team down here in Tassie about this time last year when it wasn't okay for them to be training in the smoke in Canberra and in Sydney. So the women on the Tamar and the men up at Lake Barrington. And I can tell you, I was talking to their coach the other day; they thought it was fantastic to be up at Barrington. In fact, the National Championships are down here again this year, which is great to see after a period of time. But, you know, the AIS, a really important organisation for us. And we all recognise the success that it's assisted our athletes with over the last 40 years.

Martin Agatyn:

And as you say, it might be headquartered in Canberra, but its tentacles reach far and wide across the country. And I like that, I guess, policy of decentralisation.

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I was talking to Ian Thorpe about it because, you know, there's issues around what we do in the context of redeveloping the campus in Canberra and what it should be, what it should do as the headquarters of the AIS. And he said that one of the most – from his point of view as an athlete – one of the most important things was the decentralisation. And into that National Institute Network, and we saw just at the weekend a Tasmanian running third in the National Road Cycling Championships based out of the Tasmanian Institute of Sport.

Martin Agatyn:

Scott Bowden, of course. Yeah.

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah. So, it was great to see Scott do so well through the through the National Road Cycling Championships and proudly wearing the colours of the Tasmanian Institute of Sport, which is an important part of that National Institute Network with the AIS.

Martin Agatyn:

Yeah. It's been a fantastic success story. Richard, thanks so much for your time as always today. I really appreciate it. Nice to catch up with you. And we'll talk to you again in a fortnight.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much, Martin.

Close

E&OE…

Reporter Michael Atkin: Minister, the Morrison Government has announced 33,000 extra home care packages in the budget and MYEFO. What impact will that have on the length of time people have to wait?

Richard Colbeck: Well, the whole point of the additional capacity that we continue to put into the system is to reduce the waiting time and to increase the number of senior Australians that have access to a home care package. In fact, when I came to the portfolio following the 2019 election, the projected number of home care packages at the end of the 2022-23 financial year was about 157,000. We're already at 170,000 as at the end of last calendar year, and we will reach 195,000 plus by the end of this financial year. So, we've continued to invest, as the Prime Minister and I have said, at every opportunity to grow the number of packages.

Michael Atkin: So, Minister, what impact will that have on waiting times specifically?

Richard Colbeck: Well, that is that is both increasing the capacity of the system, but it's also reducing waiting times, and it’s reducing the waiting list. If you go back to March 2000-

Michael Atkin: But can you say by how much will it be? One month, three months? Do you have any information around that?

Richard Colbeck: Well, the waiting time for example for- or the waiting list for level home care package, Level 4 home care packages has reduced by 75 per cent over the last two years. So we've made significant inroads into the package waiting times, and that will continue to occur as we continue to invest.

Michael Atkin: According to the Health Department's latest figures, around 100,000 people are still waiting for a home care package at their level. It’s something the Aged Care Royal Commission has criticised, calling it cruel. Why are so many people still waiting?

Richard Colbeck: Well, two factors. One, there is- there continues to be an increased demand from senior Australians who want to stay at home. But we have for the first time over the last 18 months seen that waiting list come down, and that is due to the additional investment. We’ll put an additional 40,000 packages into the home care system this financial year alone, and-

Michael Atkin: [Interrupts] Do you accept the Royal Commission's criticism then, that it is cruel? That these people have been assessed as being in need, but their needs aren’t being met by the system.

Richard Colbeck: Well, all of the people who are assessed as requiring a home care package are being offered some assistance. They may not be getting the package at the level that they're being assessed, but 99 per cent of them are being offered some assistance through either a lower level package through CHSP. And of course, they still do retain access to Australia's world class health system. But we know that there's more work to be done and we continue to do that. And that's why we've continued to invest. As I said to you a moment ago, when we came- when the Morrison Government was re-elected in 2019 ...

Michael Atkin: [Talks over] [Indistinct] through that Minister, so ...

Richard Colbeck: [Interrupts] Well, but it's an important point to note. We need to grow the system, we acknowledge that. We've said that on a number of occasions and we said we need to continue to invest more, but that's exactly what we've done.

Michael Atkin: [Talks over] And you don’t accept the criticism that it’s cruel for people to be waiting? To be not getting the care they need?

Richard Colbeck: What we've acknowledged is that we need to continue to grow the capacity of the system, we've never shied away from that. And our actions, in fact, have proved that we do acknowledge the system needs to continue to grow and we need to reform the way that home care packages are delivered. We said that when the Royal Commission brought down its draft report. We've started that process.

The first piece of legislation to commence the process of reforming the delivery of home care packages passed the parliament just before Christmas. There's another tranche that will come in during the autumn session. And we await the recommendations of the Royal Commission's final report on what the combination of CHSP and home care might look like, because they've said to us in their interim report that they will have a view - that will be important. And of course, once we get the Royal Commission's final report in just over a month now, we’ll clearly consider those recommendations. But we will continue to invest, because we understand that senior Australians increasingly want to age at home, and we’ll facilitate that.

Michael Atkin: [Talks over] Minister, Minister, we’ve interviewed Christine Radke who is the carer of her 95-year old father. He has dementia and a range of mobility issues, and recently almost died from sepsis. He is receiving a Level 2 care package but his funding has run out, and he’s on a waiting list to receive Level 4 care. She says they’re desperate for more help before her father dies, or is forced into residential aged care. Do you believe this situation is acceptable?

Richard Colbeck: Well clearly, their situation is extremely difficult, but it's because of these people that we continue to invest. As I said, we've more than trebled the number of home care packages that are available to senior Australians since coming to government. We've invested at every single opportunity. And the Prime Minister has said that we'll continue to do that.

Michael Atkin: [Talks over] You have talked at length about that investment, but in their specific case is there any help you can offer? Or will they just simply have to wait?

Richard Colbeck: Well, it's that- but it's that investment that will make a difference to all of those people who are seeking a home care package. It's that additional investment that will make that the change to their circumstances. As I-

Michael Atkin: [Talks over] It is a risk though that he might pass away without receiving care that he needs, given he’s 95.

Richard Colbeck: Well, he has available to him obviously, the services that are being supported by his Level 2 home care package. He would also have access to CHSP. And of course, as I’ve said, he would also have access to our first world class health system. But to be able to cater for these individuals who are seeking care at home, we need to continually and responsibly grow the system. And at this point in time, we are growing the number of packages we are offering to senior Australians by about 1200 per week. So that continues to be a significant investment and that will assist to reduce the waiting lists and to reduce the waiting times, which is important.

Michael Atkin: Minister, the Royal Commission has called for the home care waiting lists to be cleared by the end of this year. Will you be doing that?

Richard Colbeck: Well, the royal- well, the counsel assisting’s recommendations to the commissioners have made that recommendation - that is not the recommendation of the Royal Commission. The Royal Commission-

Michael Atkin: [Talks over] Will you be doing that though?

Richard Colbeck: The Royal Commission will bring down its final report on 26 February. We will obviously seriously consider all of the recommendations of the Royal Commission, and we will make an initial response, and a formal response, and a much more major response in the budget - that's the program that we set down previously. And of course, I think that's the responsible thing for us to do, is to properly consider all of the recommendations that the Royal Commission makes and then respond in the context of both policy and resources.

Michael Atkin: Minister, in Australia we have had 909 COVID-related deaths, 685 of them have been residential aged care. As Minister, how did you underestimate what oversight was required by you to ensure the sector was ready for the pandemic?

Richard Colbeck: Well, I don't accept that the Government did underestimate the oversight at all. We started working with the sector-

Michael Atkin: [Interrupts] At all? There was no-

Richard Colbeck: [Interrupts] Well, let me finish, Michael, let me finish. We started working with the sector with respect to what they might be required to do in January of last year. We started providing them advice very early with respect to what we knew at that point in time about the virus. And as we learn more, we provided them with more advice, and importantly we provided them with additional resources. We made sure that we had a strong national stockpile of PPE. We struck an arrangement with the private hospital sector so that in the circumstance we needed access to hospital beds, we had those sorts of things available. We worked with the sector with respect to resources for surge workforce.

Michael Atkin: [Talks over] [Indistinct] we saw in Victoria, Minister. Brendan Murphy in September told a Senate Inquiry that if the public health response had been prompt, we might have avoided some of the scale of the outbreaks in Victoria we saw during the second wave. And in particular, he was talking about the rapid response to COVID-19 outbreaks in aged care facilities jointly set up by the Commonwealth could have been done sooner.

Richard Colbeck: Well, he's correct in the fact that the overall public health response was important, and that of course, is a joint responsibility between- the primary responsibility for the public health response rests with the state governments. But we work very closely with state governments to respond in supporting them both in the public health response, but also dealing with our responsibilities in aged care.

Michael Atkin: [Talks over] [Indistinct] aged care groups and they went from mid-July. They went 28 to 1000 in August; it was an exponential growth. Why weren't there better protocols in place to stop the rapid spread between facilities in Victoria, given what had already happened in New South Wales and Newmarch House and Dorothy Henderson Lodge?

Richard Colbeck: Well, if you look at the infection rates in Victoria during that second wave, the one thing that is extremely clear from the data is that the infection rate within residential aged care is directly proportionate to the rate of infection in the community. The peak date of infection in residential aged care in Victoria was the day after the peak date of infection in the community. And the point that we've made on a number of occasions is that, unfortunately, staff members of residential aged care facilities were becoming infected in the community, they didn’t know it. They were going to work asymptomatically and transmitting the virus into residential aged care facilities. And we said all along…

Michael Atkin: [Talks over] During the second wave in Victoria, the Aged Care Royal Commission has singled out you writing to aged care homes, but not saying that staff should be wearing masks at work when you wrote to them. Do you now regret that?

Richard Colbeck: Well, at all times during the process of managing the pandemic, we acted on the health advice. I received…

Michael Atkin: [Interrupts] [Indistinct]…

Richard Colbeck: I received health advice with respect to masks.

Michael Atkin: [Talks over] [Indistinct]… saved lives, Minister, if those staff members had been wearing masks in aged care facilities in Victoria during the second wave?

Richard Colbeck: I received health advice with respect to staff members wearing both masks and face shields on the 13th of July, I issued instructions that day for that to occur. So, we acted immediately, the health advice came to us that that was what we should do.

Michael Atkin: The Royal Commission says that announcement came five weeks after the World Health Organization advised that health workers should be wearing masks and four weeks after community transmission numbers in Victoria had started to increase. I mean, wasn’t that too slow?

Richard Colbeck: Well, as I said, I received the health advice that aged care workers should wear a mask and a face shield and that was on the advice of the AHPPC, who have advised us all the way through.

Michael Atkin: Minister, I said that’s the day you received the advice. But, with respect, now that we know what happened in those Victorian aged care homes during the second wave, was that too slow?

Richard Colbeck: Well, as I said, all through this pandemic, we have taken the advice of the AHPPC in our management of the of the virus and the pandemic. I think that advice has served us extremely well. The day that I received advice from the AHPPC that aged care workers should wear masks and face shields, I implemented that advice. That I think is the responsible thing to do.

Michael Atkin: Do you believe now they were too slow in making that recommendation to you?

Richard Colbeck: Well, look, I am not here to and I’m not going to criticise the AHPPC for the work that they’ve done because, in my view, the AHPPC has served this country extremely well. We are in a fantastic position, when you compare to other countries around the world. They have lead this country with respect to the management of the virus and provided us with advice on how we should manage it and I think the situation that we sit in as a country now. An enviable one in any context around the world, is due to the strength of that advice.

Michael Atkin: The Aged Care Royal Commission’s special report found that all too often, providers, workers, the elderly and their families couldn’t answer the critical question, who is in charge? Do you want to apologise to families whose loved ones later died for that leadership vacuum?

Richard Colbeck: Well, the issue of leadership within an aged care facility is one that has been exposed by the pandemic and we've seen that on a number of occasions. And that's one of the reasons that the Quality and Safety Commission has acted on a number of occasions to issue a notice to agree to provide additional leadership capacity within facilities. It is extremely important.

Michael Atkin: So do you want to apologise to those families?

Richard Colbeck: Look, every single death that occurred within aged care in this country has been an absolute tragedy and my condolences, I will repeat now, as I've done on many occasions, to every single family who have lost a loved one through COVID-19.

Michael Aitken: But that’s not – and I accept what you’re saying about the admission of the leadership vacuum there. But that is not an apology to those families for that leadership vacuum. As the Minister at the time, doesn’t the buck stop with you for that leadership vacuum?

Richard Colbeck: Well, under the Aged Care Act, which the Commonwealth administers, all providers are responsible for having appropriate leadership within their facilities. It is our job to ensure that that's the case, both through the department and both- and through the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. And so, look, we have to take…

Michael Atkin: [Talks over] Your Government funds and regulates the sector and you had a regulator, the Quality and Safety Commission, who was only visiting a very small number of aged care facilities with COVID outbreaks. Something like just 30 of the 220 nursing homes at the time. I mean, isn’t that an unacceptable number? You weren’t on the ground, in those aged care facilities, finding out what was going wrong?

Richard Colbeck: Look, I think that's an extremely unfair characterisation of the circumstances at the time. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission were acting on health advice with respect to entry into aged care facilities. But, they weren't only using personal visits as a tool to understand what was happening within the facilities. So I think it's extremely unreasonable to try and portray the circumstance that there was no oversight or a lack of oversight of aged care because there were a number of tools and mechanisms that the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission were utilising, as well as their understanding of providers through other processes.

Michael Atkin: But, one [indistinct] was a self-assessment survey and a lot of the providers were simply saying that their COVID protocols were best practice, when in fact now we know that wasn’t the case?

Richard Colbeck: And look, I think that's an extremely important learning from the process. And the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has since conducted a number of interviews with providers who have had cases of COVID-19. And one of the things that they have said is that they underestimated their capacity. Now, that's an important thing for us to understand from a government and a policy perspective, but also from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission's perspective as a regulator. Those findings and that report has been published -

Michael Atkin: [Talks over] Had the Commission been on the ground checking whether those surveys were in fact reflective of the reality, wouldn’t they have known straight away in some circumstances, and couldn’t that have been lifesaving information?

Richard Colbeck: Well, what you're suggesting is that the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission should have rejected the health advice that it had, which was not to send inspectors into aged care facilities. Now, that circumstance only occurred for a short period of time. Once the advice changed that they could and should go back in, they recommenced those personal inspections, those inspections within the facilities. But I think it's unfair and unreasonable to criticise the Quality and Safety Commission for following the health advice that was provided to it.

Michael Atkin: Alright, Minister. Thank you for your time.

Richard Colbeck: Thank you, Michael.

Close

Leith Forrest:    

And very shortly I'll speak to the senator for Federal Aged Care. A lot of calls yesterday on the show with Leon about it; front page of our Advertiser yesterday. As we know, with the wait for some of the elder care and the home care packages. In fact, I can speak to the Senator now - let's not make him wait. Senator Richard Colbeck, Federal Aged Care joins me this morning. Thank you so much for your time, senator. Appreciate it.

Richard Colbeck:       

Good morning, Leith.

Leith Forrest:    

Front page story, the paper; Leon inundated with calls yesterday about this. We've got 10,500 people, South Australians, who are waiting for care - a 12-month delay for these at home help packages. Why the wait?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, it's a matter of building and increasing the number of packages in the system, and we've been allocating additional resources to new home care packages - additional home care packages at every opportunity. In fact, in the last 12 months, or since the interim report from the Royal Commission which was October-November of 2019, we've allocated an additional almost 40,000 packages. So- in fact, 50,000 since the Royal Commission, 40,000 this financial year. So we allocated 10,000 packages in our response to the royal commission in October of 2019. At the COVID economic update in July last year, we allocated an extra 6105 in the budget, the recent budget, we allocated the largest ever additional number of home care packages of 23,000 at a cost of $1.6 billion. And then, in MYEFO just before Christmas we allocated another 10,000. So that's 39,105 packages allocated into the system just this financial year.

And at the moment, we're making available new packages across the country to senior Australians at the rate of about 1200 a week. So we are continuing to responsibly grow the number of packages in the market. I understand people are eager to get their packages, but I will note that people aren't left without any support at all - 99 per cent of those who have been allocated a package, particularly a high level package, are offered some level of support to support them all while they're waiting for the package to be provided. And as our consistent allocation of additional packages indicates, we are very, very keen to resource this sector.

But we need to grow it responsibly. There's been some discussion in the last 48 hours or so about building the workforce - that's an important part of that. One of the key things that we need to ensure is that people are getting high quality and safe care in their homes and we need to build and train the workforce to do that.

Leith Forrest:    

But we've got 10,500 people here in the northern suburbs of Adelaide and South Australia who haven't got the- I guess it's the - what's the word - their approved level of support. I understand that you're actually helping them out, but can you understand the frustration that people would have where they would have to wait up for a year?

Richard Colbeck:       

Look, I can understand that, Leith, and that's why we've continued to invest. As I said to you, we're increasing the number of packages we're offering to people at the moment at about the rate of about 1200 per week. We know that there's more to do. We also - and I've discussed this with Leon a couple of times now - we're also working on reforming the way that package is delivered, delivered so that we can get better value for tax payers money out of that while providing the appropriate level of care for senior Australians - that's the objective. So- and of course, the Royal Commission said to us that they would like to have some say in what that looked like, and we're now about six weeks away from their final report. So we look forward to that.

And as the Prime Minister said, as I've indicated and as we have done, we will continue to invest in more packages so that we can build the number available and continue to reduce the waiting list and the waiting time. Look, the waiting lists and the waiting times have dropped significantly, particularly over the last 18 months or so, as the significant investment that we've put in has continued. And since the 2018-19 budget, we've invested more than $5 billion in home care packages. So that's a significant amount of money we continue to invest. The investment in this financial year in new packages is over $2.8 billion. So I think that's a clear demonstration that we a, acknowledge the issue, and we're working on addressing it in a responsible way to grow the market so that the sector can continue to train and bring new people in as a part of that process.

And that 1200 or so packages being offered per week equates to something a bit over 200 jobs per week. So there's two things that are happening here. We're building and growing the availability of packages, but we're also growing employment which is, at this point in time, is a very important thing for us.

Leith Forrest:    

Is it a hard sell, as the Minister, when you have a situation of, I guess, a priority system around the nation? What’s your message for the people of Adelaide who aren’t in that 1200, as you mention? Or the early takers of these packages and the people that have to wait? Is there a message you can give them?

Richard Colbeck:       

Well, the more packages that we put into the system, the closer your package gets. That's why we've continued to invest. I can tell you the Prime Minister is very focused on this as well - we've had a number of conversations about it and he's been very supportive of all of these investments that we've made over the last few years. And it's very much a focus of the Government. That's one of the reasons we called the Royal Commission.

When we came to government, there were 60,000 packages in the entire system. By the end of this financial year, that number will be 195,000 packages. Now, we know that- as I said, we know that there's more work to do, but we have made an enormous investment in growing this market. We understand that people prefer to age and live at home, and what we're determined to do is to build a system that provides for them in that circumstance. And if they do have to go into residential aged care facility, we want to ensure that that provides them with a high quality of care as well. That's why the Prime Minister called the Royal Commission.

And you're right, sometimes, you know, this is a bit uncomfortable because I very much want to see people being able to get the care that they deserve. And that's why I pushed at every single opportunity, whenever there's been an economic update or an opportunity to propose additional packages, I've done that. And I think that nearly 40,000 packages this financial year is a fair indication of how serious the Government is in relation to building the availability of packages at an investment of over $2.82 billion.

Leith Forrest:    

Speaking to the Federal Aged Care Minister, Senator Richard Colbeck. Difficult question, but you know, I'm sitting in Leon’s chair, so he'd be upset if I didn't ask. Is there something about us, Senator? South Australia? As we make up 10.7 per cent of the waiting list, yet we're only 6.9 per cent of the population. Why are more South Australians waiting?

Richard Colbeck:       

Look, the National Prioritisation System is designed to evenly allocate the packages across the country. It's recalibrated every night so that the allocation of packages, the offering of packages to people is done on a fair basis based on their needs. So, they’re- and that means that it's an equal allocation whether it's in city or rural Australia, or based on states. And so, that, that National Prioritisation System, which I can't manipulate politically, it's done based on the assessment of need of each individual who's assessed by the assessment teams that operate around the country. And it's recalibrated every day, every night to ensure that there's a fair allocation of packages as they're as they're rolled out.

Leith Forrest:    

You can feel our pain, though?

Richard Colbeck:       

Oh, look -

Leith Forrest:    

[Interrupts] Happens to us all the time in South Australia on a wide variety of issues.

Richard Colbeck:       

I get similar discussions in various parts of the country. Often questions in relation to the situation between city and country, I ask those questions of the system that's allocating the packages on a regular basis. And as I said, I'm not able to intervene in the prioritisation process, the national prioritisation system. As I said, it’s recalibrated every night so that those that are in need are offered packages. And that's why we continue to allocate additional packages to the system, because we want to reduce the waiting list and the waiting time. And as I said, we've put nearly 40,000 packages, new packages into the system just this financial year, which is a significant allocation of packages and a very, very big investment.

Leith Forrest:    

Appreciate your time, as always, Minister. Let's summarise. So, you've got the interim packages at the moment which are looking at the people - as you mentioned, some 99 per cent of those people. Your message for South Australians though, who are still waiting for their package of their, I guess, desired level.

Richard Colbeck:       

We will continue to build and invest in the system. The interim report of the Royal Commission is going to be a very important point in time with respect to that. Our immediate response, and particularly our response in the budget in May this year where we look at a, the redesign of the system, but additional capacity into the systems. The Royal Commission has – well, the Counsel Assisting to the Royal Commission - has made some draft recommendations. So, we've got a sense of what they're looking for there, and that is to reduce the waiting list of 30 days by the end of this year. We'll obviously consider that recommendation of the final report very, very closely - so, that's an interim recommendation by counsel assisting.

So, we'll wait to see what the final Royal Commission report says in five or six weeks time, but, we're doing some preparatory work in respect of that right now. But, I think I can assure South Australians that if they look at the investments that we've made in just this financial year, they can understand that we are serious about a, dealing with the issue and managing their concerns, but, in a responsible way that builds the capacity of the system to provide a high quality of care for them, which is also extremely important.

Leith Forrest:    

Yeah. Alright. Appreciate your time. Senator, thanks so much. All the best.

Richard Colbeck:       

Thanks for having me on.

Leith Forrest:    

Senator Richard Colbeck is the Minister for Federal Aged Care.

Close

Richard Colbeck:

That's right, Martin. These international sporting events like the Women's World Cup in 2023, which is getting really close now and very exciting, and the 2027 Rugby World Cup are really important events. They bring a lot of attention to Australia, but they bring a lot of business and a lot of opportunity. And accordingly, a lot of jobs. So we're really pleased to be working with Rugby Australia to support their bid for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. And that will complement a number of other events that we are looking to host or are in fact hosting.

Martin Agatyn:

Of course, as we know, the Gold Coast are looking at the Olympics as well. And we should point out, for people who don't know at this stage, that you are the Federal Minister for Sport, which is why you're involved in this. I know when we spoke about the Women's World Soccer Cup that there was a chance that some games will be played in Tasmania. With the Rugby World Cup, is that on the cards as well? Or at least maybe a training camp based in Tasmania for one of the teams?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, those sorts of things are certainly on the cards. And if you remember last time we hosted the World Cup, I think we hosted some of the early round games in Launceston.

Martin Agatyn:

[Talks over] Yes.

Richard Colbeck:

And from memory, the spectators were asked to select their teams based on, I think, their house number, whether it was odd or even. But I know Tasmanians turned out in force to that event, and I'm sure that will occur again in the circumstance that occurs. And it's great to see the opportunity for locals to be able to have a look at these international tournaments at a local level.

Martin Agatyn:

On the subject of sports too, I mean, Australia has a good reputation – apart from our cricketers maybe – of doing the right thing and not cheating. And integrity in sport is important, I think, to a lot of Australians, which is why the Government is spending a fair bit of money making sure that everything is squeaky clean. You've just announced the Sport Integrity Australia Advisory Council, because there was there was a name change and a slight change in how it's administered at present, because it was called something else before, wasn't it?

Richard Colbeck:

Yes, it was. And so changing from the previous incarnation that we had to Sport Integrity Australia was an important move. I think it is one of- some of the recommendations that came out of the Wood review. So it used to be ASADA.

Martin Agatyn:

[Talks over] That's right. Yeah.

Richard Colbeck:

And we've now incorporated some of the other governance issues that were part of the department into Sport Integrity Australia, and appointing the advisory council has been really important. And when you look at the group of people who we've appointed, a significant experience both in sport, but also more importantly in other areas in the community, law enforcement, law generally, and a number of other attributes, including, say, Megan Mitchell, who was the former National Children's commissioner. So looking at all of the elements of sport integrity. It’s been a bit of a task to make sure that we get a broad spread of capacities within that small group of nine. I think we've done that really well. And it's a really important part of our national sport integrity process, as I said, which comes off the back of the Wood review, which was provided to us a couple of years ago, and continues to build our work to ensure integrity in sport across the country.

Martin Agatyn:

When you think of bodies like ASADA, of course, while drugs may be the main way that people cheat in sport, there are other ways that don't involve drugs. Like I said, as we’ve seen with our cricketers, so it made sense to broaden the scope of the body.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it did. And it also goes to providing assistance to sports with respect to what they're doing, for example, within their general administration. So, we have the National Sports Tribunal, which can also help with managing disputes within codes, but also adjudicating on some of the issues that might come up with respect to integrity. It also looks at things like wagering and gaming, the interaction of potentially money laundering and things of those nature, so it’s- so they can be extremely complex. But ensuring that we provide our athletes with the best opportunity to operate within an entire system that operates with integrity, I think is really important. And so that's why it was really pleasing to be able to make this announcement.

Martin Agatyn:

Well, Australia’s got such a great reputation on the world stage, and we don't want to tarnish that in any way, so it's important that we keep doing this. And finally, Richard, I just want to talk about aged care for a minute. I mean, I know there was a change in responsibility, so people probably don't understand fully how that's come about. The Prime Minister said that it's just too much for one person. I think you agree with him after the year that you had in 2020. The Opposition said that it was a demotion, but it wasn't at all. We spoke about this last time. But you've just announced some funding for aged care infrastructure. Is that more the area where you're going to be involved going forward now?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it's part of the everyday nuts and bolts of managing the aged care sector. And the announcement that we've made is an aged care approvals round, which provides additional beds into the system. So, it's a limited round. So, it will be 2000 residential places across the country, but importantly to assist providers, particularly in rural and remote areas. And we live in a rural area here on the north west coast of Tasmania, the largest ever support in the term in terms of capital grants of $150 million to support those, that growth in aged care places, to do things like something we saw at Melaleuca just last year where they had a number of double rooms that they converted into single rooms. So, increasing privacy and a better amenity for residents and also to assist providers to focus on dementia, where a lot more of the people who are utilising residential aged care require those dementia friendly type of environment. So, it's a significant investment in capital terms. It's a slightly smaller allocation with respect to places. But in the context of where we sit on overall occupancy, I think it's well balanced. But I'm sure that there'll be a lot of interest in the capital grants element of the process.

Martin Agatyn:

As I said, the portfolio now has been split between you and the Health Minister. So, what are the two areas- or the areas that each of you have responsibility for?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, what Greg will be effectively doing is-

Martin Agatyn:

[Interrupts] Greg Hunt, the Health Minister?

Richard Colbeck:

Yep, that’s right - taking the lead with respect to policy and the response to the Royal Commission and the everyday management of aged care across the country; things such as this will remain with me. So, a lot of work to do in a major piece of reform with respect to responding to the Royal Commission, which is due to report on the 26th of February this year, so, only six or seven weeks away. And then, of course, we need to complete the building of the response to that and put out some major policy work in the lead up to the budget in May. So it's still very, very intense in the aged care sector and will continue to be for a period of time.

And then, of course, once we've developed that policy response and announcement- announced it, it has to be implemented. So, there’s a lot to happen in aged care.

Martin Agatyn:

Yeah, those 2000 residential care packages you just mentioned, there's another 8000 that are on hold until after the report is handed down, so, it’s there ready to go basically, isn't it?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, that's right. And one of the things that we'll be looking at is the demand for residential aged care places into the future. We've discussed a number of times the demand for home care places and we've released 50,000 home care places since I came into the portfolio at a significant cost to the Australian taxpayer. And we will introduce more, as well as reforming the way that the system is delivered. And that's had an impact on the demand for residential places. So, we need to balance those things as part of our response to the Royal Commission.

Martin Agatyn:

Okay, Richard, thanks very much for your time as always today. Looking forward to talking to you again throughout 2021, and we'll catch up again in a fortnight.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much, Martin.

Close

As a nation, I think we have deepened our capacity for compassion.

We have learned to look out for each other and to lend a hand.

It was best displayed during the devastating bushfire season last summer and, again, exemplified by the actions of individuals at the height of the second wave of the pandemic.

I was heartened by the determination and dedication of aged care staff who - particularly in Melbourne - showed up for work when so many people were being warned to stay home.

I have seen the same qualities from local coaches and sporting administrators who reached out to players and staff to ensure they remained connected long after their season had been wiped out.

There are as many examples from our younger Australians – those individuals who lost their jobs or had their education up-ended – but rose above their personal hardship to connect or support others doing it just as tough.

Drought, bushfire, flood, and in 2020 the impact of COVID-19 will be felt for some time yet.

To help manage COVID-19, a vaccination program will be a critical part of keeping Australians safe and we will continue to heed the advice of our scientific experts until jabs are available.  

But as the virus continues to have a devastating impact on countries around the globe, Australia stands as a beacon for what can be achieved when people put the needs of others ahead of their own.

Across every community there are shining examples of selfless contribution.

It is something to draw on as we head into a new year.

The Australian Government continues to listen and is acting to ensure people of all ages receive the support they need.

Senior and vulnerable Australians, along with younger Australians will remain a considered focus.      

As restrictions are lifted, a COVID-normal Australia will mean balancing the necessary changes while protecting the wellbeing, health and safety of everyone.

In a challenging year, we have adapted, learned and grown as a nation.

We move into a new year stronger for it – with a willingness to overlook our own needs in favour of those less fortunate.

As a nation we have always looked out for our mates.

It is a value that defines us as Australians.  

In 2021, it is a collective quality that will ensure we stand together – stronger.

I extend my best wishes to you and your family this Christmas and trust we may all enjoy a happy and safe New Year.

Close

Richard Colbeck is the Federal Aged Care Minister and of course a Tasmanian, Richard Colbeck good morning to you.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning Leon

Leon Compton:

Senator before we get into all of this, I’ll ask this sensitively cause it’s never fun if people are speculating about your job, but there is a lot of talk about a reshuffle to be announced by the Prime Minister later on today, I suppose in the nicest possible way are you still going to be the Federal Minister for Aged Care this afternoon?

Richard Colbeck:

Well we’ll have to wait and see what the PM says, it’s up to him to announce that.

Leon Compton:

He was in the state earlier in the week you caught up with him one on one we believe do you have an idea as to whether or not the reshuffle will include your portfolio?

Richard Colbeck:

Well Leon the PM will announce the portfolio this afternoon, so I’ll leave that announcement to him. But I’m looking forward to and you know I’m looking forward to doing what I’ve been doing, I’ve said that publicly a number of times it’s an important role that I’m undertaking as we all understand so I look forward to the opportunities that exist in the future.

Leon Compton:

Are you hoping to stay in the role Senator?

Richard Colbeck:

I’ve said publicly a number of times that I’d like to stay in aged care as difficult as a year as its been, it’s an important job, we’re ten weeks away from the royal commission reporting and another 6 weeks after that we’ll be looking for another budget which will form a significant response to the royal commission so there’s a lot of work to be done even between now and those two dates.

Leon Compton:

What has the toughest part of the year been for you, I mean there were points there were you were sort of under the white hot glare of a country asking questions about covid and how Victoria particularly was struggling to deal with it in aged care facilities and so on, what the toughest part for you been?

Richard Colbeck:

Look I think it’s been talking to families who’ve been impacted by the virus and those that have lost loved ones, it’s the human elements. There’s been significant work obviously, I’ve never seen this as being about me at all it’s about the residents, their families and so the hardest thing has been talking with families and working with them and then working to ensure that they had services to deal with their grief for example things of that nature, that’s the hardest part because it’s such a human and personal thing.

Leon Compton:

You mention the royal commission response and the report to covid outbreaks in Victorian aged care centres, will they be released in full publicly?

Richard Colbeck:

So there’s reviews into Epping Gardens and St. Basils they will be released very soon, they will be released before Christmas we’re just going through some final processes and working with the families in respect of that so they will be released, of course the royal commission report has been released and responded to and we made come further investments with respect to supporting families and older Australians as part of our response to the royal commission and we continued that work with an additional investment in MYEFO as you mentioned earlier in your comments.

Leon Compton:

And yet the additional investment still doesn’t get everybody who is eligible for a home care package to be have one delivered as its deemed necessary, can you understand the frustration of you know people living in one of the richest countries in the world asking how it can be that we can’t afford to provide home care packages for those that deserve them?

Richard Colbeck:

Oh look I can Leon and that’s why we have invested at every opportunity to increase the number of packages, we’ve invested in 50,000 new packages since the interim report of the royal commission last year so that’s over $3.3c dollars additional investment just into home care packages between MYEFO last year and MYEFO this year and on top of that of course to manage covid we’ve put in another $1.7b dollars to assist the sector so that’s over $5b dollars that’s been invested into aged care in just over the last 12 months so we continue to invest, we acknowledge that there is more to do but we’re also looking to reform the way that home care is delivered, the Tune review recommended that we bring the CHSP system and the home care system together into a single method of care, delivery of care at home that’s the direction that the royal commission is pointing as well so we’re working on the policy outcomes for that. We passed some legislation in Parliament last week to move towards hat reform so that’s an important part to it as well, but we also understand that we need to have additional capacity in the system but I think our intent is clearly shown by the fact that we have put an extra 50,000 packages between MYEFO last and MYEFO this year.

Leon Compton:

But even with that intent Minister 10,000 older Australians will get support that mightn’t have otherwise happened under this $1b dollar investment, that leaves 90,000 Australians still eligible for a home package and not getting them.

Richard Colbeck:

Well that number will come down with the additional packages that we’ve put into the system this year, so this financial year alone there will be an additional 40,000 packages going into the system and we have for the first time since March last year seen the waiting list drop considerably it was close to 130,000 when I came into the portfolio, it’s now well under 100,000. So it continues to fall because of our investment and as I have said we acknowledge there is more to be done, the royal commission counsel assisting have made some draft recommendations and we’re looking at those, but we’re also working on the reform of the system so we can make sure that taxpayers funds are most effectively spent on providing the appropriate care for people, the care that they need. 

Leon Compton:

Richard Colbeck’s our guest this morning, the Federal Aged Care Minister. Of that billion dollars and the 10,000 new packages how many how much of that money and how many of those packages will be allocated in Tasmania to our audience Senator?

Richard Colbeck:

So the average share of package across for Tasmania across the overall number is about 2.4%, in the approval round for the last quarter Tasmania received 2.6% of new packages so in the figures just released in the September quarter we received an extra 793 packages out of those that have been allocated, so it will come in in about that proportion so they will continue to flow in those sorts of number, it’s a national prioritisation system and so the packages flow pretty equally across the country, there’s no bias in distribution between states or between metro and regional areas they flow out in a pretty even manner across Australia based on around those proportions.

Leon Compton:

Are you going to mandate staffing levels in aged care facilities around and residential aged care facilities around Australia, is that your intention?

Richard Colbeck:

Well that’s one of the things that we’re obviously considering we’ve been looking at the draft recommendations from counsel assisting obviously from the royal commission, there is some work that’s been done by Kathy Eagar from the University of Wollongong that fits in alongside the new payment system that we’re contemplating for the residential aged care sector so we will eagerly wait new recommendations from the royal commission, we’ll consider those and then we’ll make a policy response post the royal commission reporting.

Leon Compton:

You talk about a new payment system one of our guests texters this morning ‘Michael’ says…

[reads] I think it’s sad that the family of the aged and the aged themselves don’t want to pay for home care packages themselves necessarily... – Michael

Let’s just extrapolate Michaels point, what might a new payment system look like, some argue that families with available assets are leaning perhaps on the Commonwealth more than they might need to cover the cost of aged care?

Richard Colbeck:

Well look who contributes what to their care whether that be in a home care package or a residential care is one of the big questions of the reform and we’re hoping that the royal commission makes some recommendations to us on that. We are looking at the various policy options now in preparation to respond to the royal commissions report but it is a valid point as to how a person depending on their means makes some contribution to their care and that’s something that we will look at in fact we have been doing some policy work on that in just the last few days so that will be part of the consideration of what we look at post receiving the royal commissions report on the 26^th of February and it’s a legitimate question.

Leon Compton:

Senator Richard Colbeck Minister for Aged Care Federally is our guest this morning.

So other questions let’s move to the story of the day you’ll be watching the situation with covid on the northern beaches very closely no doubt we understand one of the positive cases there is an aged care worker, what if anything can you tell us about the way the aged care system is responding in those northern beaches right now?

Richard Colbeck:

Well it’s not an aged care worker as such its someone who works in a residential village so not an aged care facility, there are a lot of large residential villages in New South Wales that are not aged care facilities but not withstanding that I spoke to the New South Wales Health Minister last night and I’ve offered him the support of the Commonwealth with respect to a number of things, and one of the programs that we’ve put in place is asymptomatic testing of staff and residents at residential aged care facilities to provide us with an early signal if there’s covid in the community, I mean the fact that there is covid in the community is very concerning because the biggest indicator of an outbreak in an aged care facility or any other workplace is community transmission and we saw that only to graphically in Victoria so we’re looking at that, we’ve asked all staff in residential aged care facilities in that area to wear masks so there has been a number of things that are put in place and I’ll be getting an update at 10 o’clock this morning on the actions that have been taken and what other services we might need to offer, I have spoken to the New South Wales Minister about the need to establish an aged care recovery centre like we had in Victoria which proved to be a significant asset on coordinating between State, Commonwealth and other agencies that were assisting residential aged care facilities so those conversations were all had last night as we started to understand better what the numbers were and will continue to monitor that on a regular basis throughout today as we find out more information. 

Leon Compton:

When a vaccine becomes available for covid-19 in Australia will you be mandating that aged care workers have that vaccine if they want to go into their workplace?

Richard Colbeck:

That’s something that’s being considered by the AHPPC at the moment it’s an important question, we mandated flu vaccinations for residential aged workers this year and I’ve also asked for some further advice as to what we might do with flu vaccines next year but that’s something that we’re considering at the moment we’re getting health advice from the AHPPC in because obviously the capacity for an aged care worker to contract the virus in the community and not know that they have it, go to work asymptomatically and be a carrier and then transmit the virus is the primary way that aged care facilities have been infected here in Australia and so we need to do everything we possibly can to prohibited, inhibit that and vaccination obviously is one of those mechanisms to stop that vector. So that’s being considered by the AHPPC at the moment…

Leon Compton:

[interrupts] What are you expecting Senator when the vaccine will in fact become available in Australia for aged care workers or indeed people who are residents in aged care?

Richard Colbeck:

Well the advice is that the vaccine will become available in the second quarter so March next year, we won’t be providing emergency approvals as has been done in the US and UK and I think the fact that as a nation we’ve managed the virus so much better we don’t need to make those emergency approvals is a good thing, so second quarter next year and obviously people who are most vulnerable will be prioritised as a part of that process and we’ve got an expert medical panel whose providing us the advice as to how that might be rolled out and what those priorities might be, but certainly aged care workers, senior Australians and those who are more vulnerable, frontline health workers will be some of the first in line.

Leon Compton:

It could be a tough decision on your hands if you chose to mandate a vaccine for covid would you be prepared to do that?

Richard Colbeck:

We’ve said we won’t be mandating it across the community but...

Leon Compton:

[interrupts] What about for aged care workers particularly?

Richard Colbeck:

Well we’ll take the medical advice on that and your right it is a difficult decision, there was some concern expressed through the aged care sector about the mandating of flu vaccine this year and we didn’t only mandate it for aged care workers we mandated it for anybody who was visiting and aged care facility so and we’ve seen the benefits of that this year in the statistics that out came out, we effectively didn’t have a flu season and we had very very low numbers of people who were impacted by flu this year, I think it was about 28 that we had across the country who passed away because of the flu which year which is quite a low number.

Leon Compton:

Senator we appreciate you talking with us this morning, thanks for your time.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks very much Leon.

Close

Richard Colbeck:

Today a real pleasure to be able to announce another significant input of homecare packages into the homecare system here in Australia, which brings this Government’s investment in homecare packages since the Royal Commission’s draft report late last year to almost 50,000 packages, at a total investment of almost $3.3 billion. And when you add that to the investment that we’ve made into the aged care sector over the last 12 months for COVID, this Government has invested in excess of $5 billion to support the aged care sector, both through COVID and to grow its capacity, particularly in home care packages which is an area of significant demand and demand growth. So a real pleasure to be able to announce one of the headline elements of my MYEFO this year of over $1 billion additional investment into the aged care sector for a range of initiatives to support the sector and its reform, but also, importantly, as I’ve indicated, to grow the capacity of the homecare sector, which now will reach over 195,000 packages by the end of this financial year. That is a growth of 40,000 packages just in this financial year, following on from a growth of 30,000 packages last year. And when we came to government in 2013, there were about 60,000 packages in the system, so we will have well in excess of tripled the number of homecare packages for senior Australians by the time we get to the end of this financial year. And of course, we will be in a position to respond to the recommendations of the Royal Commission, which is due to bring down its report on 26 February next year, in the budget next year to deal with some other elements of the reform of the sector.

Happy to take questions.

Question:

As you said, the Government’s spent $3.3 billion releasing 50,000 homecare packages and it’s barely made a dent in the waitlist. What will it take to clear the backlog?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the waitlist has actually made a significant drop in the last 18 months. Going back to March last year, the waiting list was nearly 130,000. It’s now down under 100,000 as of figures that have been released today, and it continues to fall. So these additional packages will continue to reduce that waiting list. That is the attention of the Government. That’s why we’re investing. But we’re investing carefully to ensure the industry can grow in the context of its capacity to employ additional people. These 40,000 packages this financial year will equate to something like 6000 to 8000 new jobs in the homecare sector nationally, so that’s an important factor in the context of employment off the back of COVID. But we need to be able to grow at a rate that the industry and the sector can cope with. We don't want to get into a situation where we’re seeing- where we flood the sector and create something like a Pink Batts situation where you have unsafe care being provided. So we are doing this, as we said we would, after the royal commission put down its draft report. We’re doing this carefully. We’re doing it in line with what we believe is the capacity of the sector to grow, and we will continue to do that. And of course, as I’ve just said, the Royal Commission final report’s due in February next year. They have draft recommendations out with some targets. We are studying those very carefully. But we will continue to grow the homecare sector. We understand how important it is for people to be able to be cared for at home. That’s their desire. There’s about a 6 per cent growth rate in demand on an annual basis, so we need to do that. We also need to do what we said we’d do last year, and we're working on this, which is to reform delivery of the homecare system so that we can get better efficiencies and more closely align the provision of care with people’s needs. So that process, on a policy sense, is under way. The Royal Commission said that they would like to have something to say about that too, so we eagerly await their recommendations in that context.

Question:

How much more is going to be needed though to reduce that backlog?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, it’s going to be a significant investment. We understand that. But as I’ve just indicated, we need to grow the market responsibly. We need to grow the capacity of the sector responsibly. We don't want to create a circumstance where people are getting unsafe care, they’re not being cared for in a manner that we believe they should be, that they deserve. So we’ll continue to work on both the reform of the delivery of care at home and also the growth of the sector.

Question:

The Aged Care Royal Commission has called for that waitlist to be cleared by 2021. Will you commit to that?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we’re looking very closely at that. And I’d reflect on the comments that I’ve just made in the context of the capacity of the sector to deliver, the capacity of the sector to grow to meet that level of demand. We’re looking at all of those figures very carefully. We’re putting 40,000 new packages into the market this financial year. That is significant growth. It’s probably in line with what we believe is the capacity of the sector to grow. But we’re doing that policy work now.

Question:

So you won’t commit to clearing that waitlist by 2021?

Richard Colbeck:

Our objective is to provide everyone who wants care at home, with that care as soon as possible. We’ve stated that publicly over a period of time. We’re waiting for the final recommendations of the royal commission report. These are draft recommendations from counsel assisting, and so we’ll be guided by the final recommendations of the Royal Commission when they bring them down in February next year.

Question:

When do you think is the earliest that waitlist can be tackled?

Richard Colbeck:

We’ll be assessing that in line with our view on how we see the sector having the capacity to grow, because I think that’s a very important element. But also, our reforms of the sector. Now we passed some legislation in the Parliament just last week with respect to the way that we pay the sector. There’s a second tranche of legislation that’s in the Parliament which will hopefully pass in the autumn session next year. So we’re doing two things: we’re both growing the sector and reforming the way that care is delivered and the system of care at home. Both of those things need to be worked together.

Question:

Do you expect to retain your portfolio, if there’s a cabinet reshuffle as [indistinct]?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, there will be a cabinet reshuffle. We know that. The Prime Minister’s indicated that that’s the case. I look forward to continuing the role that I’ve been undertaking. As I said, it’s only 10 weeks till the Royal Commission’s draft report. We’re well advanced with a lot of the policy work that’s required for that. I look forward to continuing with that work.

Question:

So you’ll be keeping this portfolio?

Unidentified speaker:

Minister, we might just quickly move to those on the phone if we could. I’ll go to Olivia Caisley please.

Richard Colbeck:

Hi, Olivia.

Question:

Hi there. Hi, Minister Colbeck. You had a meeting with Scott Morrison yesterday. Did he give you an assurance that you would stay on as Aged Care Minister [indistinct] huge failings in the sector? Do you want to stay on in the role? Are you confident you will retain the portfolio? And when will you release a report into the Epping [Indistinct] St Basils considering they were due to be public on 30 November?

Richard Colbeck:

Well. There’s a few questions in there, Olivia. I won’t publicly discuss my private conversations with the Prime Minister. But I’ve indicated publicly in a number of forums that I am very keen to continue the role that I am undertaking. The Prime Minister will announce the new ministry at a time of his choosing, so I look forward to that process occurring.

The reports into Epping Gardens and St Basil’s were received- have been received by us. We also said that we had some processes to go through before they were released, including consideration by the Aged Care Advisory Group of AHPPC, and AHPPC. Those processes are still occurring and there have been some procedural fairness issues that we have had to deal with as part of that process too. Those reports will be released very soon. It’s a matter of them completing the processes that we said we would go through.

Question:

Do you think it will be released by Christmas?

Richard Colbeck:

Yes, it will, Olivia. Yes.

Unidentified Speaker:

We might quickly move to Josh Butler.

Question:

Yeah, thanks Minister. My question was also on the Epping Gardens report. Have you seen those reports yourself? And obviously, like you say, I imagine the Government will make a more considered response when that action is released, but at this stage what lessons do you think you are able to take, the Health Department, the Federal Government should be taking from those reports and their findings?

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah, look, I have seen the reports, Josh. But the point that I would make with respect to both of those reports and the occurrences in Victoria during the pandemic second wave would be that both of the reviewers are members of the Aged Care Advisory Group. So, the work that they have done has been incorporated into the advice that we have provided to the sector, that the Aged Care Advisory Group and the AHPPC had provided to government, as a matter of ongoing business. So, we continue to learn from the events of the pandemic. I think the Acting Chief Medical Officer made some comments about the effectiveness of our approach in the context of the South Australian outbreak where we had four staff in one aged care facility - at Brompton, Anglicare Brompton - that were infected but no residents were infected and we think that is a great piece of news. We acted extremely quickly to set up an aged care recovery centre off the back of that because of our learnings in Victoria. We are working with all the states to test their systems in establishing a recovery centre in each of those jurisdictions through the work of the Aged Care Advisory Group over recent weeks. So, we continue to look closely at what happens and apply those learnings but the fact that the two reviewers are also part of the Aged Care Advisory Group puts us in a very good position because they’re learnings can immediately be put into practice as a part of their considerations.

Question:

Sorry- just one quick follow up. As you said, obviously there will be some, I imagine, a quite considered government response to it, but is there anything in there that you have seen that disturbs you? Anything that you think the government fell short on?

Richard Colbeck:

There are obvious learnings and have been obvious learnings out of all the reports that we’ve done – Dorothy Henderson Lodge, Newmarch and this one – and I might add that we’re also doing through the same reviewers a more broad review across all of the events in Victoria so that we make sure that we pick up all possible learnings. We have done a number of interviews with providers, both through my department but also the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, to understand their experience through the reviews. I was talking to the Victorian Aged Care Recovery Centre; they’re undertaking similar interviews with providers who have had an outbreak at the moment so that we can get an understanding of their perspective of the outbreak, how we might better engage with them in the provision of services in the event of another outbreak, praying that there won’t be one, of course.

So, we continue to be active in learning the lessons of the outbreak and how it might be applied to our responses.

Unidentified Speaker:

Thanks Minister. We might just check if- Chris? Do you want anyone on the line? No Chris? We’ll just take any final questions from the room.

Question:

Just in regards to the two homes in Victoria. Will they be allowed to keep operating?

Richard Colbeck:

Both of those facilities are currently under notices to agree from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, so that means that they are- remain under quite close scrutiny from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. We have been through a process when we return residents to the facilities that we had concierges who are facilitating arrangements and discussions with families as the residents came back. We brought them back in groups of four or five at a time so we didn’t have a flood of residents back into the facilities. So, those facilities remain under notices to be agreed by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, and those notices to agree will remain in place until the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is satisfied that circumstances within those facilities are in accordance with the quality standards. Whether or not there’s any other regulatory action that is yet to be taken, I do not know. I understand for example if there are a coroners’ inquiries occurring in Victoria with respect to at least St Basil’s – I think perhaps also Epping Gardens. And I understand there also may be some legal action at play. So, I’ll be cautious about what I say in the context of those things. But those facilities remain under watch from the Quality and Safety Commission [sic].

Question:

Maybe just one more. Just in terms of this stuff, the industry is saying that they want the waiting times to be down to one month on the waiting list. They’re saying in some cases it’s up to 12 months and some relatives are dying while waiting for these lists. Is that acceptable in your opinion?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, it’s a genuine concern. It is a genuine concern. We want to get the waiting list down but we need to do that in a responsible way. The investment that we’ve made though I think shows that we are genuinely working hard to achieve that. $3.3 billion since the Royal Commission’s interim report last year, 50,000 packages, that’s a significant investment. That’s a significant investment. But we need to grow the sector carefully. As I said, we're also working on the reform of the delivery of care at home. So, that’s CHSP and homecare packages. So, reforming that whole structure is a going to be a significant piece of policy work as well. The Royal Commission said they would like to have a point of view on that. We eagerly await that. And we’re only about 10 weeks away now from that Royal Commission's final report so we are doing a lot of policy work in the background in preparation for that.

Obviously, we have the draft recommendations from the Royal Commission to consider but in some context, there is a difference of view within the royal commission as to what their final recommendations might be. So, I think it’s responsible for us to wait for those recommendations and pull all that policy work together. But if you look in a broader context at what we’ve achieved with respect to aged care, particularly dealing with the outbreak in Victoria, I was talking to a Victorian Aged Care Recovery Centre this morning. We, at the peak of the pandemic in Victoria, there were in excess of 7000 staff in aged care facilities who were furloughed. I mean, and we had to replace them. That is a significant piece of work and my congratulations to- particularly to those working at the Victorian Aged Care Recovery Centre who did that. Over 40,000 shifts were supported by the Australian Government through its surge workforce measures. That is a lot of workers coming in to do an enormous amount of work, and I would like to pay tribute to the workforce in aged care in particular who have been through a really, really difficult year but they have supported senior Australians through that difficult time to provide the best care they possibly could. So, when you consider that 7000 of them were furloughed at the peak of- that’s just at the peak of the pandemic, that’s a significant loss of workforce that had to be replaced. So, I pay tribute to the entire aged care workforce and people working through the sector, particularly through Victoria, for the work that they’ve done. And let’s just hope that 2021 is a better year for us all in aged care, with recommendations of the Royal Commission coming in and the opportunity for the Government to respond.

Close

 

Kindness, connection and a responsibility for others has been a glue to bind us. 

We’ve had to take measures which have changed the way we live and for that our State has emerged stronger and safer.

As we head to Christmas and a new year, it’s timely to reflect on the experience of 2020, working together to manage the impact of COVID-19 and the resilience we’ve shown to restore our way of life.

In handing down its Budget under extraordinary circumstances, the Australian Government has purposefully set out to ensure it plays its part in helping strengthen communities. 

It starts with tangible back pocket relief for Tasmanians doing it tough. 

Across Braddon more than 41,000 taxpayers are set to benefit from tax relief of up to $2745 this year under measures which have already passed Parliament. 

About 9700 businesses have been provided with temporary tax incentive to write off the full value of any eligible asset they purchase. 

And around 2600 local businesses across Braddon have been supported by Jobkeeper - ensuring they stay connected to their employees. 

Additionally, almost 7000 people have received the Coronavirus Supplement which offers financial breathing space during an uncertain period. 

Around 16,700 senior Tasmanians across the electorate received support payments of $750 in April and July and will receive a further $250 payment this month and a further $250 from March. 

Carers haven’t been forgotten - with around 2580 individuals across Braddon receiving similar support payments. 

Of course, it takes more than just money to ensure communities keep ticking. 

The Australian Government is working hard to ensure Tasmanians get the support they need to recover. 

But the mechanisms we need to get back on our feet start with all of us.   

Having weathered this global pandemic together, we have learned it can often be the little things that help through hard times.  

The impact of COVID-19 may be felt for some time yet, challenges still lay ahead.  

But let this holiday season be an opportunity to reflect on the learnings of a challenging year - and the hope of a brighter future.  

Close

Aaron Stevens:

Joined now by Liberal Senator for Tasmania, Richard Colbeck. Richard, thanks for your time.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Aaron.

Aaron Stevens:

How do you feel about these allegations - not just about what's going on at Ashley Youth Detention Centre, but what's happening in state precincts in Tasmania?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, the allegations with respect to treatment of children that are in the media at the moment really need to be, and should have been very, very quickly referred to the appropriate authorities. We need to make sure that we have the best protections in place for our children.

Aaron Stevens:

But what about the suggestion that they have been reported but nothing's been done?

Richard Colbeck:

Well look, I'd be very concerned about that. The question that I ask, having read some of the media statements that I've got, is: have they been referred to the appropriate authorities? I mean, someone's been raped - that should be referred to the police straightaway. It's not a matter for a government agency to look at, that's a criminal matter, it should be referred to the police, that's what should have happened. And I would hope that that is what has happened because then the appropriate investigations and processes can take place because-and that's how those things should be dealt with.

We need to make sure that we use all of the instruments and the institutions that we have to protect people appropriately. And so, if there's, if there’s an allegation of a rape, the appropriate place for that to be referred is the police.

Aaron Stevens:

These are our most vulnerable youth in this situation, and, and once again I'll go back to the discussion we had before with Hetty Johnston - the fact is, when a parent takes their kids to school or takes their kids to a hospital or sends them through an institution or they end up in an institution like Ashley’s, you would hope, as a parent, that, that your kids are safe.

Have I got you there? I lost you.

Richard Colbeck:

We lost each other just for a moment.

Aaron Stevens:

Yeah. No. I was just-

Richard Colbeck:

[Interrupts] Look, I agree. Look, I've, I’ve seen only too closely through some family connections the terrible things that can occur to children through- that are managed through children's services, and we need to have the best system that we possibly can in that sense. It’s a very, very difficult thing to deal with, it's very difficult for the staff that are working in, in that part of government - it's extremely traumatic in some circumstances and they need all the support that they possibly can and they need the best possible resources that they can get to be able to do their job properly so that they can do the- play the role that they're being given which is to look after children in our community that are in difficult circumstances.

We should leave no stone unturned to have the best possible child protection system that we can, we can possibly have. It's a very, very difficult part of government, very difficult, but it should be resourced to the maximum possible, and no stone should be left unturned to make sure that we have the best systems available.

Aaron Stevens:

Do you back the call for a commission of inquiry?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, I understand that there's been a number of processes that have been considered, and are currently being considered by government, with respect to how the child protection system works. If, if that's been done, I'm not sure that I'd like to go back over the turf all over again. But if there's, if there’s some work that's been done, some recommendations that are available, and something that can be put into place, let's just do it.

As I said, we should leave no stone unturned to ensure that children in vulnerable situations in our society are properly looked after, and, and, and given the best possible protections that they can, that they can get. I've seen it too closely from, as I said, through, through family connections. I've seen what it can do to the people who are working in that sector - it can be a very, very traumatic job to do, people can burn out very, very quickly. They need all the possible support that they can get to ensure that they can do their jobs properly to, to protect kids in our community. And we ought to be getting on with it and putting those things in place straight away.

I'm sure that those, I’m sure that those in charge know what needs to be done – let's get on and do it. But- And if something goes wrong, and if a criminal act has occurred, it should be immediately referred to the appropriate authorities to be dealt with through that process. We have, we have plenty of legal processes in place, we ought to use them appropriately. And if there's an allegation of something that's happened, refer it to the appropriate authorities so that those authorities can act.

Aaron Stevens:

As you said, let's get to it and get it done. Senator, I apologise. Would you mind staying there for a sec? I've got to get to an ad break and we'll come back. There's other things to talk about.

Richard Colbeck:

Sure.

Aaron Stevens:

Thank you. Liberal Senator for Tasmania, Richard Colbeck, joining us this morning, Minister for Aged Care and senior Australians, Minister for Youth and Sport. We’ll come back to him in just a moment.

Just a reminder that if any of the conversations this morning have raised that issue for you, please contact Lifeline on 13-1114. I am joined this morning by Liberal Senator for Tasmania, Richard Colbeck. Thanks for holding on there for a moment, Senator.

Richard Colbeck:

Not a problem, Aaron. Not a problem.

Aaron Stevens:

As Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, you've released new visitation guidelines this morning to help our aged care services find a new COVID normal. Can you tell us about these guidelines?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, over the cycle of the COVID pandemic the AHPPC’s done a number of pieces of work to provide advice to the residential aged care sector in- as to how they manage visitation. We know that connection for people is really important, and so early in the pandemic we made- the AHPPC made a number of recommendations with respect to whether people under 16 could go in; requirement for flu shots; whether you've been in contact with someone from- that might have had COVID; or, whether you'd just come back from overseas.

So we’ve continuously updated those guidelines, some of those parameters remain in place. So if you’ve been- if you’ve got any symptoms of cold of flu we ask you not to go into a residential aged care cen- facility to visit; if, if, if you’ve come back from overseas; a number of those things, we ask you to stay away because we know the, the terrible impact of COVID once it gets into a residential aged care facility.

So, we’re releasing today new guidance from the AHPPC and the Aged Care Advisory Group, and my understanding is that the code of conduct for aged care that’s being negotiated between the residential aged care sector and the consumer peaks will also be released today, which is good news – so those things can all come out together. And it’s about facilitation of visitation for residents in aged care facilities so that they can maintain their connections – that can be done safely, and the appropriate precautions, screening can all be undertaken so that people can retain connections.

It's really, really important that people are able to have visitors. For some people, for example, with dementia, they can decline severely if they don't maintain familiar contact, so it's really important that we maintain those where we can. And so this is the latest guidance from the health authorities that have assisted and guided us through the COVID-19 pandemic, and that'll be released today.

Aaron Stevens:

And great news because, I mean, the connectedness between our aged and their families has been such an issue throughout 2020.

Richard Colbeck:

Look- and for some people it's been really, really difficult. We're putting new provisions in place in Victoria to assist with some of the mental health issues and the isolation issues that have cropped up because people haven't been able to have contact. We know how important it is, so safely facilitating visitation into residential aged care is really important. We appreciate the work quite- very sincerely that the consumer peaks and the aged care providers have done in continuously upgrading the code to facilitate visitation - that cooperation has been- was a real turning point because it was very, very difficult early in in the pandemic to manage visitation.

But the code of conduct that's been negotiated by industry with, with the consumer peaks has been- was a real turning point and has done a lot of really good work in facilitating visitation. And of course, in areas like South Australia, where we unfortunately have a bit of an outbreak at the moment, there's state government health orders that limit visitation, and we're hoping that that, and it seems as though it may be the case, that we can get that outbreak in South Australia under way- under, under control as quickly as possible so that we can maintain levels of visitation. But there's some specific advice that's come from the South Australian Government in relation to that. And these guidelines we're releasing and the code of conduct for visitation actually contemplates that - so those things are covered off in the work that's been done.

Aaron Stevens:

And you're confident there's a clear new direction for the aged care sector?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we continue to work on that. We've continued to build our response to COVID-19 for aged care as the pandemic, pandemic has progressed. It put us in a very good position when we heard of the outbreak in South Australia last week, all of the things that we’d learned very quickly were put into place. We had every resident in- and worker in the facility that had the outbreak in South Australia, where there was a staff member who was found to be positive, they were tested in the first 24 hours. We have three staff members who are resident. We got the test results from the second round of testing of residents back this morning, and they're all negative. So all 40 of the residents in the facility in South Australia have tested negative twice now, which is great news.

And of course, there were no new infections in South Australia yesterday. We wait with bated breath to see what the numbers are today because we sincerely hope that they've got that under control. And I think we have, at all levels of government, learned so much from the experience so far. The information that I received back so quickly out of South Australia with respect to the speed of their tracking and tracing, and then the isolation of close contact and those who might have contracted the virus or been in contact with some who had the virus was really, really impressive. And I think that that speed of action in South Australia is one of the things that hopefully will have contributed to getting the outbreak under control quickly so that people can go back to a much more normal way of life as soon as possible.

It was very, very impressive to see the speed at which they, they acted at all of the systems that we've built over a period of time kicked into place extremely quickly so that the tracking and tracing and isolation could occur. But also the protections for people in aged care kicked into place very quickly - we had asymptomatic testing going around a number of facilities and we're continuing that.

So we go into aged care facilities in the general area of the outbreak, we’ll test residents and staff on a, basically, on a sentinel type basis just to make sure that there's no virus circulating in the community. Because the one thing that we have learned is that when there is community transmission of COVID-19, there is a direct correlation there to the infection into any workplace, but also into aged care. And we saw that with the numbers out of Victoria, that the peak of infection in Victoria was on 5 August in the community, and the peak of infection in residential aged care was on 6 August. And once the infection rate in the community started to drop off, so did the infection rate in residential aged care because they are so connected to the community.

So the front line of our defence for COVID always has been to control community transmission, and again, that's been demonstrated with the work that's been done in South Australia.

Aaron Stevens:

Well done. I do have to go to news, but I've got to say, you've got the toughest job in the country, because it's how we treat our own people and how we treat our young people that reflects on us as a society. So we'll keep in touch.

Richard Colbeck:

[Talks over] That’s exactly right. Thanks. Thanks, Aaron. Thanks for having me on.

Aaron Stevens:

Not a problem. Senator Richard Colbeck, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, and, Minister for Youth and Sport.

Close

Patricia Karvelas:      

One of the positive cases is an aged care worker and for more on this I’m joined by the Federal Minister for Aged Care, Richard Colbeck. Richard Colbeck, welcome.

Richard Colbeck:

Hi Patricia. How are you?

Patricia Karvelas:

Good. How concerned are you that this outbreak may already have leached into the state’s aged care system?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we’re concerned that it doesn’t because we do understand, only too well, the link between community transmission and then transmission into aged care. We've seen that tragically in Victoria and we've seen it everywhere else in the world. I heard a report this morning from the UK of the increase in numbers in aged care that are occurring over there with the increase in community transmission. So we're really concerned about it. What we- what I am impressed with is the swiftness of the public health response in South Australia, the significant tracking, tracing and importantly, isolation of positives, plus their contacts that have occurred over the weekend, which has identified the worker. It's one of the family members that's worked in aged care. So there's a number of actions that we've taken today to deal with that. We've stood up an Aged Care Response Centre this morning. That involves my department - the Department of Health, South Australia Health, the Quality and Safety Commission, the Department of Home Affairs and the ADF, which brings all those agencies together to coordinate actions, which is really important.

The facility that the individual works in has gone into full lockdown. We’ve- South Australian Health has done testing of all residents and staff today. We'll have the results of those tomorrow. And we've also identified another 10 facilities in an area around the Parafield shopping centre that- so they're in that zone of potential community transmission, if you like. We've been in touch with all of them. South Australia Health has been in to have a look at their IPC, infection control procedures, and the Quality Commission has been in touch with them also. And so they're operating in- under new health directions from SA Health today. So restrictions on visits, mandatory masks, one worker one site. And the facility where the worker worked is- all the staff, they're operating in full PPE.

 

Patricia Karvelas:

Are you overseeing this? Who's in charge? Because that was ultimately the issue in the Victorian aged care breakout example. What happened there was there was obviously some issues around chains of responsibility. Is it the Federal Government that's entirely in charge here?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it's a joint process. That's why we've got the Aged Care Response Centre, because South Australia manages the public health response. And as I said, it's issued public health orders today with respect to aged care limits - visits requires mandatory masks, one worker one site. We obviously have oversight from the Quality and Safety Commission perspective and supply of things like PPE and those sorts of things into the facilities. But one of our officials, a Commonwealth official, is leading the South Australian Aged Care Response Centre and they're working in- within South Australian Health. So it's a joint responsibility. But what we've learnt from the circumstance in Victoria is that we need to be working very closely together to ensure that everything is properly managed and coordinated. And that's what we've done starting this morning with the standing up of the centre.

Patricia Karvelas:      

Should the people in South Australia who have family in aged care, have faith in you and your Government and the processes that are now in place?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think they can; they’re well practiced. We're taking asymptomatic testing through all of those 10 facilities starting tomorrow morning. Just to make sure that there's not nothing that's in the community. The work that the South Australian Government has done with the testing that they've done in the community, the tracking and tracing, I think, has been very strong. And as the Chief Health Officer in Victoria- South Australia has said, has been swift, which is what it needs to be. And so, we're taking all of the actions based on all of our learnings in previous outbreaks in South Australia, to ensure that there's no COVID-19 free in the community. We don't have community transmission, which could potentially lead to transmission into aged care, and we're protecting the residents in all of the facilities in the state. So, getting on top of this very quickly, as the South Australian Chief Health Officer has said, is really important.

Patricia Karvelas:

Will you consider evacuating residents to hospital if there is an outbreak at a facility?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that is the procedures that the South Australian Government has as part of its proposals, it’s not the same as occurs in other states. But the South Australian approach to COVID-19 is that residents will be transmitted to hospital. That's their process; it varies from state to state, which is a part of the different approach to the different health systems around the country take.

 

Patricia Karvelas:

South Australia will require aged care workers to only work in one venue, as you've mentioned. Is that now a certainty there is no worker in South Australia in aged care that's working across multiple sites. Are you- can you be sure of this?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that process has been in place for personal care workers for a period of time. I think South Australia actually lifted that restriction last week or the week before. They've reapplied it today. So, in the context of personal care workers, I think that's probably pretty close to the case. There will be some workers by virtue of just availability and numbers of workers who may not be. But, the whole idea behind the one worker one site process is to limit that, have a good understanding of where they are. And providers are required in South Australia to have records of all their staff and where they're working so that if anything does crop up, we're able to trace it quickly.

Patricia Karvelas:

So just to be clear, you're saying that's the goal. You can't be sure that in all cases that's the case, though, that there is one worker per site?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, that's been- that is the health direction from South Australia with respect to personal care workers. But it may be that some other classifications of workers may work across more than one site. It may be, for example, podiatrists or something of that nature that doesn't –a facility doesn't have the capacity to employ on its own a full time, may work across more than one site. But, then there's procedures that those people would take to ensure that they're not transmitting the virus. The use of full PPE, for example, in the circumstance where there’s virus in the community.

Patricia Karvelas:

Have other facilities been identified as at risk as a result of the aged care worker who tested positive?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the genuine risk that we've seen at the moment is the concern with respect to community transmission. That's why we've looked at other facilities that are in the general area of the Parafield shopping centre. We've identified 10 of those and that's why the workers at those facilities are wearing masks. There's restrictions on visits and we'll be doing asymptomatic testing of staff and residents starting in those facilities tomorrow morning. We just want to find if there's any- or ensure that there's no virus in the community and it's certainly that it's not in aged care.

Patricia Karvelas:

Are the lessons from the Victorian outbreak informing the response to this cluster?

 

Richard Colbeck:

Oh, absolutely. I mean, that's why we've stood up the response centre this morning. That's why we're doing the asymptomatic testing, we're still doing that in Victoria, as a matter of fact. So, we still have a cycle of asymptomatic testing in Melbourne Metro and Mitchell Shire. And so, every facility is visited fortnightly and monthly in regional Victoria, just to see that there's no virus transmitting in the community that might get into aged care. That's why we're doing the same thing in those facilities, in that general area of the outbreak that was discovered in South Australia.

Patricia Karvelas:

Thank you so much for joining us.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Patricia.

Close

Topics: Preparedness for Covid-19 pandemic; condolences for families affected; St Basel’s; Dorothy Henderson Review recommendations; AHPPC advice to the sector; Royal Commission; Newmarch House; workforce provisions.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks everybody. I just want to put some comments on the record in respect of Australia’s plan for COVID and also how that applies to Australia’s plan for COVID in aged care. As a nation, we started planning for COVID very early. The first piece of advice that we provided, particularly to the aged care sector, went out at the end of January last year. It was followed by a number of pieces of advice in February. We, nationally, built our COVID plan in March, and so the February- in February, the process went out for the national plan, and that was then supplemented by some advice developed by the AHPPC, and certified by the CDMA, specifically for residential aged care.

Unidentified Speaker:

Sorry, we’ve got a bit of feedback.

Unidentified Speaker:

Yeah, someone has to mute their phone at the other end or something.

Unidentified Speaker:

Someone in the room is- we’re copping a bit of feedback. The journos will have to mute their phone in the room, if possible. Sorry. Mute the phone.

Richard Colbeck:

Yeah, quite distracting sorry.

So, in February, we put in place our national plan for COVID-19. That was worked through by the AHPPC. And in March we launched the CDNA advice, CDNA being a subcommittee of AHPPC, to the residential aged care sector. That’s a very comprehensive document that provides advice on a whole range of measures that residential aged care should put into place for managing a COVID-19 outbreak. That piece of advice was subsequently updated in April, and then most recently the latest iteration of that advice was on 14 July this year. Those updates, and all of the actions that we’ve taken subsequent to the commencement of the pandemic, have built on lessons learnt here in Australia from previous outbreaks, from previous experience, outbreaks such as Dorothy Henderson Lodge and Newmarch. But they’re also, through the CDNA, built on experience from overseas countries; Canada, UK, and outbreaks in aged care around the world. And all of those things have been built into our plan for COVID in residential aged care. We have a plan in place with each state, bearing in mind that the states and territories are individually responsible for the public health response. Obviously, the Commonwealth Government is responsible for the management and regulation of residential aged care. But we have – as this whole process has continued – followed what’s been happening, learnt from the experiences we’ve had in previous outbreaks, and implemented, and acted on, the advice that we’ve been given by our health authorities. And that advice has served this nation extremely well in managing the COVID-19 outbreak so far.

So, I think- I just want to put on the record, we have worked extremely closely with the sector. We have been meeting on a very regular basis -weekly, sometimes twice-weekly – to ensure they were informed of what we were doing, we were learning from their experience and interacting with them on a regular basis to understand the concerns that they might have, and how we might act on those concerns, and how we might continue to build the plan that we have for COVID-19 in residential aged care.

I’m happy to take questions.

Question:

When an aged care facility has a COVID case, which agency are they supposed to report this to?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the official reporting process for residential aged care is to the public health unit within the state. We found very early in our experience in dealing with outbreaks that sometimes the information from the states, or PHUs, took a while to come back to us federally. And so we very early in the COVID-19 pandemic asked every residential aged care facility to report to us as a part of their immediate actions in responding to a COVID-19 outbreak. We’ve published a first 24-hour document, and in the first half-hour there are a number of initiatives that they should take, and the third initiative on that list was to advise the Commonwealth.

Question:

Your department has been accused of failing to prepare aged care homes for COVID-19 outbreaks. Given we knew from the start that the elderly were the most vulnerable, how can you justify this failure?

Richard Colbeck:

We have had a plan to deal with COVID-19 in residential aged care, going right back to the beginnings of our preparations. As I said earlier, our national plan for health incorporates and considers the impact of COVID-19 on residential aged care. And the AHPPC advice and the advice from the CDNA, launched in early March, also provides advice to the sector. We’ve been engaged with the sector since late January, and continuously working with the sector to ensure they have all the information they require and the support that they need in the circumstance that they might have an outbreak of COVID-19.

Question:

Has that plan failed, though?

Richard Colbeck:

I think that there have been some circumstances where things haven’t gone as we would like. And the circumstance at St Basil’s is one, where we didn’t get it all right, and we’ve been prepared to acknowledge that. They’re very, very difficult circumstances, at times of enormous stress for families, and our efforts in every circumstance that I’ve seen since the pandemic started is that everybody’s efforts have been to put the interests of residents in residential aged care first, and our community to ensure that they continue to receive the treatment that they need, and, of course, the care that they deserve.

Question:

What do you say to the families of the 220 elderly Australians who have died of COVID-19 in aged care?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the first thing I’d do is issue my very, very sincerest condolences to them all. This is a very, very difficult time for all of them. They’re suffering a significant loss, and all of Australians should consider the circumstances that these families have found themselves in, when we ask them to obey social distancing rules, for example. So, my sincerest condolences to them all. Unfortunately, the circumstance with COVID-19 is that whenever you see a circumstance of community spread, particularly at the rate that we have in Victoria right now, you are going to have incidents of COVID-19 in residential aged care. It’s an insidious virus that is infectious before symptoms show, and that’s why we have been so proactive in working with the sector over such a long period of time now, and continuing to develop the plan that we have in place to learn from previous experience, so that we can prevent the- attempt to prevent the ingress of the virus into residential aged care.

But you cannot step away from the fact that his is an extremely difficult time for families of those who have passed away. And that’s why so much effort I think so much effort, has to be placed on managing community transmission, because it is getting on top of community transmission, it’s the speed of action in testing, then tracking, tracing, and then isolating those who might be close contacts, that is going to help us get on top of this virus. And that’s what’s going to, at the end of the day, stop infections in residential aged care.

Question:

There’s conflicting information about the St Basil’s outbreak, and when the Commonwealth was informed. What are you doing to clarify that information?

Richard Colbeck:

So, the Commonwealth was formally informed of the outbreak at St Basil’s on 14 July by Victoria Health. Victoria Health was advised by St Basil’s of the outbreak on the ninth. And as I mentioned earlier, our first 24-hour document says that the third thing that you should do when you become aware of an outbreak is inform the Commonwealth. So, that’s the official time that the Commonwealth was advised of the outbreak in St Basil’s. The Quality and Safety Commissioner was undertaking some regulatory action, a survey of preparedness and strength of infection control management procedures, across the aged care sector in Victoria between 9 and 14 July, and they happened to call St Basil’s on that day. And one of the questions was: do you have an outbreak? And St Basil’s answered in the affirmative to that question. And another question was: are you aware of the first 24-hour document? And the St Basil’s answered in the affirmative to that question too. The disappointing thing, from my perspective, is that the information that was gleaned from the question that asked about a positive outbreak wasn’t passed on to anyone else. There was an assumption made that because the facility understood the first 24-hour document, that that information had already been passed on. It wasn’t. The gap, if you want to call it that, the gap in the supply chain, or the information chain, has now been closed. I became aware of that on Friday. I immediately asked for a full report from the Quality and Safety Commissioner, and of course, we advised the Senate committee so that we could correct the advice that we’d given to them in respect of that. There should not have been a hole in our systems. That’s been rectified appropriately, as it should have been. But at the end of the day, the Commonwealth should have been advised of the outbreak on 9 July by either – or both – of DHHS, the VicHealth, and the management at St Basil’s. That was the protocol.

Unidentified Speaker:

[Indistinct] we’re going to have to keep moving through the calls here. We’ve got a few people lined up. We can circle back to you. Claire, are you there? No Claire. We’ll go to Tom?

Question:

Thanks Minister. The Royal Commission said today that the Dorothy Henderson review had recommended the deployment of an infection control expert within 48 hours of an outbreak at an aged care facility. Has that been implemented during the Victorian outbreak? And more broadly, are you confident that the regulator is proactive enough, but also has strong enough powers to actually enforce the advice and the recommendations that have been provided throughout the pandemic by the AHPPC?

Richard Colbeck:

Two questions there. I know that infection control experts have been part of the response to the pandemic in Victoria. And I’ve had those conversations with the secretary of my department, so I’m aware that has occurred. And, in fact, we’ve had Aspen first responders and people who will provide support in respect of infection control available for facilities where that’s assessed as being required. So, that facility has been made available. And I’ve seen a significant change in, and utilisation of the learnings from previous outbreaks in the actions of many of the agencies that are involved in the outbreak. In fact, I know that, for example, the issuing of notices to comply has been stepped up quite significantly in Victoria, where we get any sense that there is any lack of capacity, or in the context of the provider to continue to manage the facility in a way that it should. The Commissioner has certainly stepped in there very quickly.

So, I’ve seen clear evidence of learnings from previous outbreaks being applied right across the sector. And, of course, they continue to be applied through the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre, where all of those learnings are being brought together with all of the agencies – Australian Quality and Safety Commission, the Federal Department of Health, DHHS, Victorian Department of Health – in the Victorian Response Centre, so that we can ensure that actions are not only taken but they are coordinated in the best interests of the residents of the facilities.

Unidentified Speaker:

Thanks, Tom. We’ll go to David Crowe at The Age.

Question:

Thanks Aaron. Thank you, Minister. I have two questions. I think the first is a fairly quick one. You mentioned when the Commonwealth found out about St Basil’s; can you tell me, or tell us, when you found out about St Basil’s and what you did about it? And the second question is on the royal commission hearing yesterday, because Mr Rosen made this sort of- what was, I think to his argument, a pretty fundamental point, which was that the AHPPC offered advice to the aged care sector from 19 June, and then he made the point that it did not update that advice for six weeks, when the cases were increasing. So, my question is: Why wasn’t there any updated advice during that crucial period in the six weeks after the 19 June?

Richard Colbeck:

So on the first question I became aware of St Basil’s when I received my daily report on outbreaks within facilities in Victoria and I receive a report on that every day. And of course then as part of that process, we have a briefing on actions that are required to be taken and the circumstances in each facility, what services we need to stand up, issues of that nature. And that occurs on a daily basis. In respect of-

Question:

[Interrupts] [indistinct] about the following morning 15 July.

Richard Colbeck:

So given that we were- we started that process I would have received the advice in my report either on the 14 or 15 July after we were notified and the exact timing of that I’d have to check, David.

Question:

Okay.

Richard Colbeck:

In respect of the advice from the AHPPC, I made mention of the fact earlier that the CDNA actually issued some updated advice which is quite comprehensive to the sector on 14 July and that is the foundation document that goes to operations and how to manage a COVID outbreak within a residential aged care facility. So while specific advice or published advice from the AHPPC had some timeframes around it, I might also add that I was advised on 13 July by AHPPC that we should go to the utilisation of facemasks in all residential aged care facilities and we implemented that advice that day. So there might be some formally published documents there. But there were certainly other pieces of advice that were available and most importantly the 14 July update of the CDNA which is in fact a subcommittee of the AHPPC.

Unidentified Speaker:

Thanks David, we’ll go to Olivia Caisley at The Australian.

Question:

Senator Colbeck, the Aged Care Royal Commission has shown that there’s been a lot of confusion about who exactly is responsible when COVID-19 gets into an aged care facility. Have those confusions surrounding state federal responsibilities been resolved now that there are hundreds of outbreaks across Victoria in aged care facilities? And do you have confidence in aged care regulator Janet Anderson?

Richard Colbeck:

Well I think it’s quite clear that the Australian Government has responsibility for the regulation of residential aged care. The resident residential aged care provider retains legal responsibility for the facility that they are operating as an approved provider. But very, very clearly the public health unit or the state governments are responsible for the public health response. I think that’s quite clear. That’s clear in the advice that’s been published for example in the relationship between the Australian Government and the Victorian Government. There has been some contest around that and there has been unfortunately in Victoria some inconsistency of advice coming to the aged care sector from the different public health units within the state. We’re working at the moment to ensure that that’s consistent. It needs to be so that everybody understands exactly what the circumstance should be and is. But I think the roles and the responsibilities are clearly understood. There have been clearly some concerns expressed by the CEO of Newmarch post their experienced but that- I can say that in my mind the roles and responsibilities were cleared up very quickly and they are also part of the briefing that we provide to providers when they advise us of an outbreak. So when we send our team in one of the things that occurs is a part of that initial conference between Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, the state health authorities and the Australian Government health authorities is in fact who the roles and responsibilities lie with and how they should be performed.

Question:

And just on my second question about whether you have confidence in aged care regulator Janet Anderson?

Richard Colbeck:

Well I think we can all continue to learn from the experience that we’ve had through COVID-19 but I’ve seen Janet working extremely hard in the interests of every single person in residential aged care over recent months. I look forward to continuing to work with her so yes, she does enjoy my confidence. But we all have things to learn. None of us have got everything right in this circumstance. The Prime Minister said that, I’ve said that and as this outbreak has continued to evolve we’ve all learnt things and as I’ve said a number of times, those things that we’ve learnt we’ve continued to apply as we’ve worked our way through the pandemic. And all of those things have been done in every circumstance in the interests of the residents. This is a very, very difficult time for the residents. Those who remain in the facility are isolated. And it’s a very, very tragic time for some of the families because as we’re seeing they’re losing their loved ones. So in very, very trying times we all continue to work in the interests of the residents of residential aged care in this country.

Unidentified Speaker:

Thanks Olivia. We’ll jump over to Chris O’Keefe at Nine.

Question:

G’day Minister.

Richard Colbeck:

G’day Chris.

Question:

Just on 29 July the Prime Minister said that the Newmarch House it was- the new situation in Victoria is because a complete withdrawal of the workforce and that wasn’t something that happened in Newmarch House. But today we heard from Anglicare and they said they lost 87 per cent of their workforce in just a matter of days. I’m just curious as to why the Prime Minister didn’t believe that was the case in Newmarch House when it obviously was. And my second question to Olivia’s point, given that there was concerns raised in Newmarch House via an infectious diseases expert at the lack of infection control facility and that report was sat on by the Aged Care Commissioner for two days before she passed it on to everybody. How can you say that you have confidence in somebody that keeps getting these things wrong?

Richard Colbeck:

Well firstly Chris, can I say the circumstances at Newmarch were very, very different from St Basil’s. I was participating in daily briefings I had a number of conversations with the CEO of Newmarch as he indicated in the royal commission hearings today. And yes, over time the staffing at Newmarch did deteriorate and continued to as infections became apparent. The situation at St Basil’s was very, very different. We were given 24 hours’ notice effectively to find a complete new staff for that facility, including management who were all regarded as close contacts. So, they are very, very different circumstances. The Prime Minister was correct in his assessment. Yes, there was a significant staffing loss at St Basil’s- at Newmarch. We understood that. And the workforce was in a very, very different circumstance at that point in time too. The capacity to recruit workforce was very different to what the circumstances in right- in Victoria right now where you have probably as many healthcare workers off work with COVID as you do aged care workers, so complete- very, very different circumstances and certainly the management of Newmarch were not impacted in the same way that they were St Basil’s. So, I would say they are very, very different circumstances. In respect of the infection control report that you mentioned, I’m not completely aware of those circumstances. I will inquire as to those circumstances and I’m happy to come back once I do understand that. But I’m not making any judgements based on information that I don’t understand the full circumstances. I’m sorry it’s not the answer you probably want, but as I’ve said, I’ve watched everybody involved in managing COVID-19 to their utmost in the interests of everybody involved, very, very difficult circumstances, extraordinarily tragic circumstances for those directly involved and their families. And so, I’m not going to pass a judgement on something that I don’t have the specific details of.

Unidentified Speaker:

Next question- have we got a representative from Channel 10 on the line? We might go to Amanda from the National Radio News network.

Question:

Sure. Thanks Minister. Just firstly, so the Royal Commission heard yesterday that there was a survey of preparedness for aged care homes in Victoria when that outbreak first happened. The result came back saying that around 99 per cent- or the higher 90 of homes had plans in place and felt prepared for COVID-19 outbreak. That clearly wasn’t the case. You’ve also said earlier in this press conference that St Basil’s- that they were aware of the first 24-hour document but clearly didn’t follow instructions to inform the Commonwealth when there was an outbreak. When aged care homes aren’t following procedures or are not understanding government documents, how are you supposed to stop this in the future and how do you comply it?

And then just secondly- just a simple one, what have you learned from the last couple of months with this COVID-19 outbreak?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, every aged care facility, every aged care facility under the standards is required to have an infection control plan. They’ve all understood that for a long period of time. There was a very bad flu season I think in 2017, and at that point some very, very specific advice went out to ensure that those plans were in place. And in fact, it was advice that was being followed up by the Quality and Safety Commissioner through that survey earlier this year which was designed to test preparedness by the aged care sector and the quality of their infection control plans. The results are the results; they speak for themselves. But- and this whole pandemic has meant that we’ve all had to do things extremely differently. We haven’t been able to go and visit facilities, for example, because the health advice has been that you shouldn’t be doing so. So, we’ve all had to learn how to do things differently. The survey was specifically designed to find out those that might need additional oversight and management, and that process was put into place.

The second survey that was being conducted in Victoria over recent weeks was designed to do exactly the same things, to see whether additional regulatory action was required. One of the things that we will be doing and we have to do as a result of the Royal Commission, which is why we called it – and let’s not forget that the Royal Commission is in place because we recognised that there were issues in residential aged care, we needed to improve it. Those sorts of actions will not only be supplemented by learnings from our experience in the COVID-19 outbreak, but also our experience and the report from the Royal Commission. So, our commitment is to improve the residential aged care system across the board. Unfortunately, during the process of conducting the commission, we’ve found ourselves in the middle of a pandemic that’s having a significant impact. At the end of the day though, as I’ve said a number of times and I’ll continue to repeat, the reason that we have outbreaks in residential aged care in this country is because we have community transmission. If we get rid of community transmission, if we get those numbers of- down in Victoria, we will mitigate the circumstances for residential aged care in this country. And until we do that, we remain at risk.

So, the testing, the tracking, tracing and isolation of those who test positive or who are close contacts is absolutely vital in us managing the circumstance in residential aged care in this country, because it will continue to infect every single workplace in the country if- but particularly in Victoria at the moment if we don’t do those things as we should. The testing, tracking, tracing and isolation with real speed is absolutely vital to this. We’ve seen how effective it can be in New South Wales and Queensland where those processes actually prevented or isolated aged care workers before they had the opportunity to infect facilities. So, those things will continue to be important. And of course, once we receive the report from the Royal Commission, there’s a significant piece of work for us to do across the entire aged care sector. But you’ve seen some facilities, some providers who have done an excellent job in being prepared for COVID-19. But on the same token, some of those excellent providers who are well-prepared, who have plans in place, have also been infected by the virus. Nobody is immune from this.

So, does it show up the facilities that have some issues? Yes, it does. But by the same token, some of the best providers in the country also have outbreaks at the moment. And so, I think that needs to be considered as a part of the broader public discourse that nobody is immune here, and the only way that we resolve the issues in residential aged care in this country is to get on top of community transmission.

Unidentified Speaker:

Thanks Minister. Just want to quickly check that Channel 10 aren’t on the line. We’ll take our last question from Damian.

Richard Colbeck:

Back to you, Damian.

Question:

What are you doing to shore up the aged care workforce as more and more workers need to self-isolate?

Richard Colbeck:

Look, a really good question and part of our planning all along is to be able to source workforce, and so there’s a number of things that have occurred and continue to occur. Obviously, very early in the outbreak one of the measures we put in place was a significant amount of resource to contract surge workforce to come in and to assist those facilities that had an outbreak. And of course, we’re paying all the costs for that. As the outbreak has grown in Victoria, we’ve had to supplement workforce from other states, so South Australia’s sent some people in, Western Australia are sending people across. Here in Tasmania, there’s also people being provided and there are some teams of nurses and PCAs, personal care assistants, coming from Queensland as well. So, we’ll continue to develop our resources and to build our resources. We’re also in talks with some of the employers like Qantas to provide some training for some of their furloughed staff, some staff that don’t have work to train them up, to provide additional capacity within the system.

As I’ve said a couple of times, the entire health workforce in Victoria is under real stress. They have had somewhere in excess of 1700 infections in the broader health workforce, and we’ve- so with the number of infections in the health workforce, the number of infections in the aged care workforce, plus [indistinct] close contacts, it is a very, very tough(*) situation in the context of workforce and labour in New South Wales. So, we are working actively through all of our resources. We’ve got some teams from [indistinct] nurses in, we’ve got five AUSMAT teams that are working in the system as well, so we continue to develop and implement additional measures as we- as the circumstances continue. But we are now starting to see some of the furloughed staff [indistinct] had to self-isolate as close contacts come back to work. That is assisting with the situation as well, but it remains very, very tough because of the broader health workforce circumstance in Victoria right now.

Unidentified Speaker:

Thanks Minister. We’ll have to leave it there, guys. If you need any further clarifications, just give me a call or send me an email, but we’ll leave it at that. Thanks.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks everybody.

Close

Lisa Millar:

We're going to have all the latest from our Sydney and Melbourne reporters shortly but, first, let's bring in Aged Care Minister, Richard Colbeck, who joins me from Davenport in Tasmania. Minister, welcome to Breakfast.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Lisa.

Lisa Millar:

I want to get to the specifics of the allegations we heard last night on Four Corners, but before then I personally found it quite devastating hearing some of those reports, especially from the CEO of Epping Gardens. A lot of criticisms is directed back at you and your department. What was your reaction?

Richard Colbeck:

Well Lisa, we didn’t- or the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner didn’t apply a Notice to Agree to Epping Gardens without good cause, we were very concerned about the way that that facility was being managed, we were having issues with cooperation. I had of course to make a number of calls to try and improve the cooperation, there were clear failings with respect to communication with families and that's why the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission acted to apply a Notice to Agree because there were a number of things that we weren’t happy about [indistinct]…

Lisa Millar:

[Interrupts] So you're putting it back on them? You're saying it’s all their fault?

Richard Colbeck:

No, I'm not saying it's all their fault, but I'm just making the point that there were some things in that facility that were clearly- we were clearly not happy with. They had a perception about the way things might be played out - their expectation was that every COVID-positive patient would go to hospital and that's never been the position, particularly in Victoria. It is in South Australia and Queensland but it's not in Victoria, and there's a process that we go through to manage that. But we were- there were a number of things that we were concerned about.

There were some issues with recruitment of staff and that's clearly understood, and we continue to build measures on ensuring surge workforce. But we’ve got a situation in Victoria right now where the entire health and aged care workforce is under extreme stress, and recruiting staff - bearing in mind there are a number of other significant outbreaks going on at the same time - has been a real battle for us all.

So you're saying that nothing more could have been done when the CEO contacted federal departments and said: we're down to one staff member for every 19 residents? It got to a point where it wasn't safe for the residents and they needed more help, and they said that help didn't turn up.

Richard Colbeck:

Well we did provide additional resources through our surge workforce processes - I'd have to go back to our case notes to look at specific timings - and there were periods of time where the level of staffing wasn't as it should have been. But as I said, the entire workforce in Victoria was under severe stress; there were a number of other major outbreaks, and our team, I can tell you, were working diligently round-the-clock till late at night every day looking for workforce for a number of facilities.

Lisa Millar:

Do you regret the decision though to not have patients accepted by hospitals? Is that a wring decision given that 28 people have now died from that nursing home?

Richard Colbeck:

Well we've maintained a process of looking at each facility on a case-by-case basis. If somebody needs to go they will [audio skip] to hospital, they will and [indistinct]...

Lisa Millar:

[Interrupts] But they're saying they got knocked back. They're saying they couldn't, that they weren't able to get them into hospital.

Richard Colbeck:

They were asking for every resident who was COVID-positive to be taken to hospital and that's not the approach that's been taken - clearly not the approach that’s being taken. And that's why the decision between the Commonwealth Government and the Victorian Government was so important when we released so much of that private hospital capacity to allow facilities to have residents transferred, to assist with the management of workforce shortage - and that's what occurred at Epping Gardens.

There were some transfers outside of the workforce capacity issues that we were finding inside were being- could be managed within the facility, but we could also release that into some of the private hospitals when we reached agreement with the Victorian Government to cease elective surgery. That's why that decision in Victoria was such an important one, and we continue to work closely with the Victorian Government through the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre to manage facilities in just that manner.

Lisa Millar:

Minister, you can forgive people being frustrated or confused. I've gone back over transcripts going back to April - interviews that you've done with us and other programs - and there was this assurance that there was a plan, that there'd be surge workforces, that the people in aged care would be safe. And we now know that that didn't happen. Something has gone terribly wrong.

Richard Colbeck:

Well, there has been surge workforce and we’ve continued to build that all the time and we continue to do that. The issue is that you had such a significant extent of community transport- transfer of COVID-19 and nobody is safe in that circumstance - it's carried into aged care facilities with staff and that's predominantly the way that's been managed. They don't know they have it and the infection spreads, and by the time we get the first test result the infection in the facility has largely occurred.

Lisa Millar:

Yeah. I know, it was six days …

Richard Colbeck:

[Talks over] We- we- well …

Lisa Millar:

… with Epping Gardens.

Richard Colbeck:

Those- those test results should’ve been back within 24 hours - that's the standard that we've insisted on. That was an issue-

Lisa Millar:

[Interrupts] So whose fault was that?

Richard Colbeck:

Those test results were transferred back to the facility and us by DHHS in Victoria, so Vic Health.

Lisa Millar:

Right. Okay. But going back to this idea of there being a plan and you, previously, sort of confidently telling us that things were going to be okay. I mean you didn't say way back then, hey, if it gets into aged care facilities and if we have a big spike then all bets are off?

Richard Colbeck:

Well no, I didn't say that. But I did say, on many occasions, that while ever there was community transmission aged care was at risk. It's just the same as the situation in Victoria's hospitals right now where you've got significant outbreaks in a number of Victoria's hospitals, largely being brought in by staff who are contracting the virus in the community, and similar issues within those facilities with respect to infection rates.

So we have always acknowledged and we've always said that while ever there was community transmission there was going to be risk to everyone in the community, but particularly to residents in aged care because they are the most vulnerable with respect to survival rates, and it's always been a concern.

And the front line of our approach to the infection of COVID-19 all along has to be control community infection rates because we understood, only too graphically, how devastating it would be if it gets into aged care - transmitted in by staff members who were showing no symptoms, they didn't know they had the virus, and they were infecting the facilities before anybody understood what was happening.

Lisa Millar:

Well the Prime Minister last week apologised that he was deeply sorry. A lot of people have said that's not good enough. Are you sorry?

Richard Colbeck:

We are- of course we’re sorry and we extend our sincerest condolences to all of those who've been impacted by the virus - particularly those who've lost loved ones. This is a tragic circumstance and this is how devastating this virus is. You saw- can see from the advertisement we’ve released yesterday, the impact of the virus - how silently, how furtively it continues to spread through the community - that's why we've been concerned about people obeying social distancing, observing cough and sneeze etiquette, staying home, not going out unless you really need to…

Lisa Millar:

[Talks over] Yeah, and we do stress all that…

Richard Colbeck:

… because isolating the virus is the only …

Lisa Millar:

We do stress all that, Minister. And just one last question, I mean, where do we go? If we now put aside the mistakes that have been made, what's the future? Are people in aged care facilities safe in another state if there's a spike of coronavirus? What can you tell people?

Richard Colbeck:

While ever there is virus in the community and there’s community risk, there is risk to everybody in the community including people in aged care. You’ve got three people in isolation in a facility in Queensland right now that we’ve been advised of overnight, that is of genuine concern. The speed of action of that facility is very positive but while ever there is virus in the community we all remain at risk, but particularly people in residential aged care. And the only way that you stop that risk is to completely isolate aged care from the rest of the community, and there's a real question about the viability of actually shutting off the entire sector because that has other concerns itself, and we’ve also heard in evidence to the Royal Commission last week about the impact of isolation on residents and their mental health. So this is an extremely stressful and distressing situation for us all, and again my condolences again to all those who've lost loved ones because of the virus, and particularly because of the impacts of its spread through the community.

Lisa Millar:

Alright. There’s so much more we can talk about but we’ve run out of time, I’m sorry. But Minister Colbeck, thank you for joining us this morning.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Lisa.

Close

We continue to work day and night as a Government to safeguard the most vulnerable in the community.

Close

GREG HUNT:                         Thank you very much, everybody, for joining us. I'm joined by Senator Richard Colbeck, the Minister for Aged Care, Professor Paul Kelly, the Acting Chief Medical Officer. We're here today to announce significant extensions and expansions of existing aged care support programs, initially announced in March and subsequently, as part of the national aged care COVID plan. In particular, the Australian Government will invest $563.4 million in extending and expanding these programs that have been in place to support aged care facilities, to support aged care workers, and I want to particularly thank and acknowledge them for their work. And I also want to note that that will assist with the single site worker program and also providing support for aged care residents where they and their family wish to care for them on a temporary basis at home.

                                               Let me begin by noting more broadly that the world has passed 25 million cases, very sadly, as we predicted last Thursday - 25.1 million cases and rising and 845,000 lives lost. And here at home, 25,746 cases and 652 lives lost, and we grieve all of those that were announced today, those eight that were lost in recent- in the last 24 hours and the 33 that were identified at our request as part of the data search which we requested of Victoria, and we thank them very much for this over previous periods. And we think that that is an important process. Whilst all of these had been acknowledged through the births, deaths and marriages process, we wanted to make sure that they were recorded in the Victorian public health system and that as a consequence we're able to acknowledge, to respect, to identify all of those who have lost their lives to COVID. In terms of those in hospital, there are 481 Australians in hospital - 27 in intensive care and 17 very ill Australians who are on ventilation. In addition, 6.214 million tests have been conducted. And at the same time, Professor Paul Kelly will provide an update on the epidemiology and, in particular, the trends over the last seven days. I would note that across Australia, there have been 84 cases today. In five states and territories, zero. In Queensland, we have one case; and in New South Wales, four cases in the community and six in hotel quarantine; in Victoria, 73 cases - a lower number than has previously been the case and consistent with a general downwards trend, and we welcome that. That's a very important moment for Australia, as well as Victoria, as well as my home city of Melbourne.

                                               In terms of the measures, I'll briefly outline and then Senator Colbeck will outline in more detail. The four measures are, firstly, continuation of the COVID supplement to provide for an additional six months to the end of February 2021. This is support for facilities, and it comes as a cost of $245 million. It assists them as we announced in May, on the 1st of May, with the ability to develop their workforce, to provide for PPE needs and for other elements relating to the fight against COVID-19. Secondly, we'll be extending the support for aged care workers in COVID-19 areas to operate on a single workforce basis. That will be extended as an entitlement from previously eight weeks per facility to 12, and it's always subject to review if required, and the program itself will now be extended as an available option till the 30th of June 2021 at an investment of $92.4 million. Thirdly, we will be expanding the short-term home support for older Australians who are on leave from residential aged care, the ability for families to care for older residents who will take time away from an aged care facility, and that will be extended until June 2021 at a cost of $71.4 million. And then fourthly, the extension of the COVID-19 aged care workforce retention payment, and this continues on the $235 million measure announced on the 20th of March 2020 as part of our national aged care response plan. In particular, that will involve an investment in supporting our aged care workers of $154.5 million. As I said at the outset, all of these measures together will constitute a $563.4 million extension and expansion of our support, taking total Australian investment in COVID-19 aged care support to $1.5 million [sic].

                                               All of these things come together with a very simple goal: to save lives and protect lives within our aged care facilities and across Australia. We know, when we look at that figure of over 25 million internationally, that this is a global pandemic which will likely continue at close to a million cases diagnosed every four days for the foreseeable future. And with that comes the heaviest tolls. We have overwhelmingly avoided those tolls in Australia, but we are seeing in Victoria an agonising loss. So this will help Victoria continue to fight that. It will help us continue to fight that and to protect our older Australians with every fibre, every fibre of our being.

                                               Richard?

RICHARD COLBECK:             Thanks, Greg. So, to the measures that we're announcing today. The first one is a continuation of the COVID supplement that we rolled out in- announced on the 1st of May this year, and that's an extension of a one-off payment to be made to all residential care providers in October of this year. $975 per resident in metropolitan areas, that's MMM1, and approximately $1435 in all other areas, MMM2-7. It also increases- proposes that the temporary 30 per cent increase in viability supplement for both residential and home care and the residential homeless supplement be extended for a further six months, and that provides extremely important support for providers, particularly in those areas where their residents are more susceptible, or in Indigenous communities where we know that aged care is particularly important but also that those communities are very susceptible as well. So that support continues out to all of those that have higher costs and we recognise as having higher costs as part of their service delivery. Those provisions will be subject to a number of additional reporting requirements. They'll be required to have a designated infection control officer on site, as a part of their upgraded COVID-19 management plan. They will be required to report their additional costs with respect to supporting residents with communication with their families. And also, they'll be required to report on other things like the supports that- the costs that they have around screening of residents and screening of visitors and of course their staff as they come and go. So this payment is in recognition of those additional costs, but we will be having specific reporting requirements that will be made against those additional costs to the Commonwealth in their annual reporting cycle.

                                               The next proposal is the support for workers working on one site, particularly in Victoria, and that's $92.4 million. The grant program will be extended out until the 30th of June next year, bearing in mind that most providers will claim this in arrears as they fully understand their costs. And as Greg has said, the period of time for the program, which was initially negotiated between the unions and employers for eight weeks, we will extend out to 12, just acknowledging the circumstance of the outbreak in Victoria as it stands at the moment.

                                               One of the things that we have done during this process and a number of families have decided to do is to take their family members out of residential aged care, and we've been funding that to a- to this stage through some of the program funding that we've had available. We've made a specific allocation of $71.4 million to this programme that will support older Australians to go home, if that's what they and their families decide that they want to do. There will be two tiers of funding that will be available, and we will make - if we need to - this programme available to other parts of the country in the circumstance that they do have a designated outbreak within their region, and we will advise the circumstances and the criteria for that once those details have been decided through the CMO. But this does provide the opportunity for those people who are concerned about their families remaining in an aged care facility where there's a COVID-19 outbreak. There have been quite a few that have gone home, including I might add, some residents who are COVID positive have gone home to their families. And in recognition of the pressures, the genuine pressures on the workforce; we've decided to extend the workforce retention program for a further round. So, there will be a further national round of the workforce retention bonus. It will be based on the same guidelines that we applied in the first two rounds, and that will go out and be based on those who are still in employment at 30 November, and it will be based on exactly the same claims program that we've had for the previous rounds. But, one of the things that we have seen through this entire process is that very many workers have been reluctant to come to work where there's been a circumstance of COVID-19, and I've even seen a survey in a site, where there is no COVID-19 outbreak, a significant proportion of the workforce have said if there is, they won't come to work. We need to send a message to our workers in residential aged care that they are very important. They're important to us, they are important to the people who they work with, and this is one of the ways that the Government is seeking to do that, in acknowledgment of the fact that we need our aged care workers to come to work. The people who are in the residential facilities rely on that. We rely on that, and the care that residential aged care residents get is dependent on that. Thanks, Greg.

GREG HUNT:                         Paul?

PAUL KELLY:                         Thank you, Ministers. So, just briefly on the numbers that Minister Hunt has already talked about, there's some very positive news there. We epidemiologists are simple creatures. We look at time, place, and person analysis, and on all of those three measures, the data that has come out today in terms of a number of cases is looking positive. If we think in the last seven days, there's been 829 new cases in Australia, that compares with 1500 the week before. So, almost a 50 per cent decrease in the number of cases over that seven-day period. In terms of place, the cases are mostly, almost exclusively, occurring in Melbourne. There are very few cases now in rural Victoria, and those(*) continued small cases- numbers of cases in South East Queensland and in Sydney. And so, for all of those reasons I'm positive. In terms of the New South Wales and Queensland cases, we really see how strong, rapid, and appropriate public health responses can really keep on top of these numbers. And this is what we're looking to see in the coming weeks and months, as we go through this pandemic. It's not finished yet, but very positive signs out of Victoria today.

                                                

GREG HUNT:                         I'll try to finish by 1:40, so we'll move quickly. Michelle?

QUESTION:                           How many workers are at the moment working across aged care facilities in Victoria?

GREG HUNT:                         So, let me start. We have ADF, we have AUSMAT, we have testing-

QUESTION:                           [Interrupts] [Indistinct]… I mean how many aged care workers are working multiple facilities?

GREG HUNT:                         Sure. Well, I was just saying that those that are principally doing that are ADF, testing, AUSMAT, and surge workforce. On specific numbers, we'll come back to you.

QUESTION:                           And what about the numbers that are covered by this extension of the programme? Obviously, the ADF are not covered.

GREG HUNT:                         Yeah. So it's a- overwhelmingly, is the advice that I have, overwhelmingly, the workers have moved to a single site. Richard negotiated the agreement with the providers and others, Richard?

RICHARD COLBECK:             So, the basis of one worker one site in Victoria is an agreement that was negotiated between the aged care providers and the unions. We instigated that process in cooperation with the Victorian Government. We were both concerned about that as an issue. And so, my understanding is that predominantly the workers that are covered by that agreement are working based on one worker one site. Unfortunately, we don't hold the data with relation to that. That's held by the providers themselves. So, we don't actually hold that data. But, based on my conversations with the sector, they're working extremely hard to do that. We actually provided some resources to the sector to facilitate the one worker one site process. So, my understanding is that predominantly, for those workers that are covered by the agreement - and Greg's mentioned some that aren't - workers are complying with the one worker one site, and in fact, providers are complying with the one worker, one site regime.

QUESTION:                           Why don't you-

GREG HUNT:                         Sorry, one and then two. Yup.

QUESTION:                           [Indistinct]… Research from the University of Queensland for the Royal Commission has found that there would need to be $629 million of extra funding into the aged care system per year, to get it up to the best quality level. Is this funding announcement simply putting a band aid on a system that has long been underfunded? And the Health Services Union also came out with a support today suggesting that the Medicare levy be increased to 2.65 per cent in order to better fund the aged care system. Is this something you'd ever consider?

GREG HUNT:                         So, firstly, we have increased funding from just over $13 billion to currently $22, 23, 24, and 25 billion approximately over the course of the forward(*) estimates. During the course of COVID, we've added $1.5 billion of funding to the aged care sector to help deal with preparedness and response. Then of course, in relation to the Royal Commission, as the Prime Minister said on the day that he announced it, that there would be inevitably be additional investments over and above the continuing ones, which we've made since we called it. Over and above what obviously we've announced today and other things with COVID and so, there will be additional elements. In terms of the Medicare levy, the Government- that's not something the Government's proposing.

RICHARD COLBECK:             Can I add that the measures that we're announcing today are to deal with COVID-19 and to assist the sector to deal with COVID-19. In fact, they're an extension of the measures that we put in place earlier in the year, as part of our overall COVID-19 plan. Clearly, we have a Royal Commission in place, which the Prime Minister's called. The work that has been published by the Commission we welcome, because that will make an important contribution a) to the Royal Commission's response, when it reports on 26 February next year. But also we're watching the Royal Commission closely and what they're putting out in their reports, and it will also assist our planning so that we're in a situation to able to respond quickly to the Royal Commission report in our May budget.

GREG HUNT:                         Claire.

QUESTION:                           Senator Colbeck, given how important it is, given this funding announcement, to stop people moving between facilities, talking aged care workers, why hasn't the Federal Government set up some sort of mechanism to track that? Why isn't that data you hold? And how can you be confident that the aged care sector is collecting that data appropriately and stopping people moving between facilities, given how many failings we've seen this sector already show through this pandemic?

GREG HUNT:                         Let me just begin with that. The very process which we ourselves established, to make sure that there was a single site worker program in place, is the vehicle for capturing that data. So as we do this, that will provide that data. It(*) is something which no government has previously had. Our government will have it. So, we've taken steps through this process, which will ensure that we capture that data.

RICHARD COLBECK:             So, providers will be required to make a claim for their costs and their workers' costs to access the scheme. So that's how this will work. So, as part of their claims process, they'll be required to report to us their one worker one site program. And the- so, that's the process by which we will capture that data, because the program works on the basis of a grant, and they will be required to report to us as part of the grant application that information.

QUESTION:                           But wouldn't it be- sorry, but wouldn't it be crucial to- so wouldn't it- sorry. Just to follow up on that, wouldn't it be crucial to get real time data to ensure that people aren't moving between facilities? Don't we need to know that this isn't happening, given it's a massive driver of movement of the virus between facilities?

GREG HUNT:                         Well, let us be clear in terms of the epidemiology. I'll let Paul respond to the epidemiology on that. The overwhelming advice that we have is that the disease has been transmitted by workers coming in, who have been infected in the community. That was reaffirmed by the Victorian Government's data last week. Secondly, this is, for the first time, a process that actually provides that data.

                                               Claire?

JOURNALIST:                        Minister Colbeck, since March, only 235 unannounced visits to aged care homes have been undertaken by the commission. There's more than 2700. Are you satisfied with that level of oversight? And given that some facilities were issued non-compliance notices as recently as July for things like infection control, what faith can the Australian population have in that oversight if there are still failings being identified six months into a pandemic?

RICHARD COLBECK:             So, the Quality and Safety Commission has a number of mechanisms to investigate and to check on residential aged care facilities. It's not a one-touch regulator. And the cessation of unannounced visits was taken, at the time, on medical advice. Those unannounced visits have recommenced in all states except for Victoria, where we are doing short notice visits. But we are also, with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission at the moment and our Defence Force teams, undertaking tests visits to providers, particularly those that don't have COVID-19 outbreaks, to test on site their COVID-19 infection control preparedness, and those have been going for about three or four weeks now, to ensure that their infection control plans are up to speed and their staff are in a situation where they properly understand the processes. So there are a range of mechanisms that are being undertaken by the Quality and Safety Commissioner to ensure that providers are in the situation where they've got- they're meeting the quality standards. It's not just about unannounced visits, and the cessation of unannounced visits was done on medical advice at the time, being concerned about taking COVID-19 into facilities.

GREG HUNT:                         This year, there have been over 620 unannounced visits.

JOURNALIST:                        [Indistinct]… unannounced visits during a pandemic and the alternative was only introduced three or four weeks ago in checking infection control. I understand there are also short notices-

RICHARD COLBECK:             [Interrupts] That's not what I said.

JOURNALIST:                        You said the cessation was due to health issues.

RICHARD COLBECK:             The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner has been using a number of mechanisms, is what I said, to ascertain their understanding of the preparedness of aged care providers across the- across Australia for COVID-19, to test the quality systems, the infection control systems, and that work has been going since February. And it has had a number of cycles. So, there was a period where unannounced visits were ceased based on medical advice. Those have now recommenced. And we have put in place additional measures over and above those that the Quality and Safety Commissioner was already undertaking to ensure preparedness for COVID-19.

JOURNALIST:                        Has the expert medical panel given advice to National Cabinet that there are health reasons to close state borders? And is a week too long for Victorians to wait before finding out what's going on in their state?

GREG HUNT:                         So we certainly want to see the earliest possible plan out. I'll let Professor Kelly, who actually does brief and provide the advice to National Cabinet, speak on that. But overwhelmingly, our view is two-fold. One, we want to see a road out for Victoria, and we've been helping and supporting them throughout. We know that, in seven out of eight states and territories, there's been an extraordinary outcome across Australia and one has experienced a second wave on a scale that has led to immense human tragedy. So we want to see that road out as soon as possible. I welcome the news today from the Premier that that will be announced soon. As soon as possible is the best outcome for Victorians. People are desperate to be able to see a pathway forward, and these numbers help provide that, but they need to see for their businesses, for their employment, for their families, for their mental health, for their physical health the ability to move, the ability to commence that process in a staged way towards a recovery of their normal life.

                                               Paul, on the medical expert panel?

PAUL KELLY:                         So the medical expert panel, the AHPPC, which I chair, is meeting regularly. We discuss many things. Occasionally, borders are also discussed. But in terms of specific advice to the National Cabinet, that has not been given by AHPPC. Those decisions have been made by individual states. In terms of the road out and the announcement, again, as Minister Hunt has mentioned, I will definitely look forward to Father's Day, to hear that announcement on Sunday, as was discussed this morning, and we'll wait and see. Slow and steady will be… is the message that's come out from Premier Andrews.

JOURNALIST:                        Colbeck, Senator Colbeck, after your performance in the Senate inquiry the other day, why should Australians trust you to be in charge of aged care? And do you believe you still have the confidence of the Prime Minister?

RICHARD COLBECK:             I do believe I still have the confidence of the Prime Minister. And as I said in my statement last week and as I said in the Senate last week, I should have had the data in front of me when I required it. That is not an indication of the work that I'm doing more broadly in the portfolio, and I think today's announcement demonstrates the work that I am doing to ensure that residents in aged care across Australia get the support that they need through this COVID-19 pandemic.

JOURNALIST:                        Minister Hunt, on one worker, one site, it sounds like it's completely voluntary. I mean, there are agreements between providers and unions on one worker, one site. Is there any enforcement mechanism that you have that can force those facilities to live up to one worker, one site? Is it simply about withdrawing grants later or is there any enforcement you can actually put forward now?

GREG HUNT:                         The reason this system was chosen was very, very important. And I think it is extremely important to understand that the worst thing that could have happened was to have effectively withdrawn full capacity from any one site, and that's why this structure was determined in conjunction with unions, in conjunction with the providers, in conjunction with Victoria, and on the basis of the medical advice, that to leave any aged care facility short staffed would have been a deeply unacceptable outcome. Deeply unacceptable. And that's why this mechanism was chosen, overwhelmingly adopted.

JOURNALIST:                        Minister Hunt, how is it that 33 deaths over a month didn't get reported until today?

GREG HUNT:                         Sure. I think that's a very important question. It's something that we asked Victoria to do and we are very appreciative that the Victorian Government has carried this out. The Secretary of the Department, Professor Murphy, wrote to his Victorian counterpart to confirm again on the 23rd of August that this was being undertaken. And I quote from the letter: my department has been working with yours in conjunction with the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre to reconcile the numbers of COVID-19 deaths reported against residential aged care facilities in Victoria since the 11th of August. So this progress- process begun on the 11th of August. At a discussion in the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre, it was agreed that we would use the official PHESSS, which is the Victorian Public Health Event Surveillance System Statistics as the single source of data for reporting, despite our, being the Commonwealth's, ongoing concerns with the accuracy and completeness of data in PHESSS. So that was identified as a concern. They, to their credit, have worked through and reconciled it since the 11th of August, with those figures now being provided today.

                                               I think, Paul, you've been deeply involved in that process. Did you wanted to add to what Professor Murphy had said there?

PAUL KELLY:                         I'd only say that it's very important as a fundamental principle of an emergency response, as has been occurring in Victoria over these past weeks, that we have a single point of truth. And so, that was the decision that was made at that time. And again, I welcome that those figures have been reconciled today.

JOURNALIST:                        Minister Hunt, are you disappointed that Craig Kelly has been spreading hydroxychloroquine conspiracy theories online? And for Professor Kelly, can you explain what the Deputy Chief Medical Officer will be telling that MP when they have a briefing on the subject?

GREG HUNT:                         So look, very briefly, we follow the medical advice. There are people on many sides of this Parliament who will express individual views. We see that in relation to all parties at all times, and that's one of the democratic freedoms. But our medical decisions are based on medical advice, and we follow those throughout.

                                               Paul?

PAUL KELLY:                         So, hydroxychloroquine has been used early in the pandemic, and it showed promise as a potential, either preventative medicine or a curative medicine. It's now undergone multiple trials around the world, and everyone has agreed that it does not show- it has not lived up to that promise of early thing. So, the medical advice is it is not useful as a medicine. In terms of what Dr Coatsworth will be talking to Mr Kelly about, that will be a matter for them, but there'll be- he'll be looking to give that advice from a medical expert, who is Dr Coatsworth.

GREG HUNT:                         I'll take three quickly. One here.

JOURNALIST:                        Minister Hunt, your colleague Josh Frydenberg has said on the Victorian crisis, that this has been the biggest public policy failure by a State Government in living memory. You're a Victorian, do you agree, and what's the benefit to Victorians to have this blame game happening now?

GREG HUNT:                         Look, throughout, we've sought to work with all of the states and territories, and where something needs to be identified, we've worked with states and territories to do that. For example, the data reconciliation today is something where we had quietly worked with them behind the scenes to address and to follow through, I really thank them for doing that. Obviously there's been no event in my lifetime, and no event arguably in a hundred years, which has had more of an impact on the freedoms and the liberties of any group of Australians across a state or a territory. And so the human consequences are beyond anything any of us have previously seen. And so we know obviously the origins, that's being investigated in the Victorian inquiry into hotel quarantine. We know that we've stepped in to help with the contact tracing. And progress is being made. There were, as Paul will attest, very significant challenges in contact tracing and in many ways that has been the difference between what's occurred in Victoria and New South Wales. Both have had triggers, which could have led to massive outbreaks. New South Wales through its world leading, one of the world's leading contact tracing systems has been able to help make that difference. And so, I do think this has been a very, very major impact on the population of Victoria, it's the most major impact on the population of any state or territory in terms of restrictions, arguably in 100 years.

JOURNALIST:                        Senator Colbeck, aren't the failures in aged care that Josh Frydenberg's talking about in Victoria, your responsibility and the responsibility of the Federal Government, and did you consider offering your resignation to the Prime Minister because of those deaths and infections?

RICHARD COLBECK:             So yes, the responsibility for primarily funding and regulating the aged care sector is a Commonwealth responsibility. But we are also in a global pandemic here and we have a significant public health emergency in Victoria, that's why the public health emergency has been declared by the Victorians. This is a joint effort, that's why we've set up the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre to ensure that our systems come together to provide the support that's required for all Victorians in residential aged care. And I have to say, the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre, an initiative of the Commonwealth, has been an absolute success and has assisted enormously to bring the situation back under control. So I think that the Commonwealth, working closely with Victoria, has put all of its efforts. And this is a conversation I have with my counterpart Luke Donnellan in Victoria on a regular basis. We are putting all of our effort together to ensure that we can provide appropriate service for all residents in residential aged care together, because we need the public health system in Victoria working with the residential aged care system in Victoria to do that.

JOURNALIST:                        [Inaudible]

RICHARD COLBECK:             No, I haven't considered my resignation.

GREG HUNT:                         Excuse me, everybody.

JOURNALIST:                        Minister Colbeck, you've made the point here that this extension of funding today is an extension on the program that was announced back in March. Since then, hundreds of elderly Australians have died in aged care. This is just a fraction of the potentially billions of dollars that the industry has been calling out for for some time. How on earth can families who've got elderly Australians in aged care facilities have any faith that the situation is going to get fixed up, any time soon? And shouldn't that money be spent, that extra money be spent now rather than waiting for the Royal Commission findings, when we've heard so much about the woes in the sector.

GREG HUNT:                         Do you mind if I just begin first and then I'll turn to Richard? The investments now are about supporting and saving lives. Right from the outset in this pandemic, when we close the borders with China on the first of February, we recognise that this was a global pandemic, a highly infectious disease, which could also be highly deadly, most specifically for the elderly. The greatest protection of any society, as we've seen in seven out of eight states and territories, is keeping community transmission low. And the reason why is because of the work that Paul and others have shown and that they've witnessed throughout, and that is with asymptomatic transfer, whether it's in hospitals, such as the hospital in which I was born, Frankston Hospital, magnificent workers but with a huge outbreak, despite some of the finest infection control teams in the country. We have a highly mobile disease, and the best protection is firstly the crushing of community transmission. And that's around the world what has worked, that's what's worked in seven out of eight states and territories, that's why tracing and testing and isolation have been so important. At the same time, all of the other measures have helped assist. Without those, we would have lost thousands and thousands of lives. Thousands of lives when you look at what's occurred in Canada, in the UK, France and Spain and Italy have been saved. So, that is very much what has happened. At the same time, each life lost is a source of immense grief, immense agony, but it comes from the fact of community transmission and with one of the finest protection mechanisms in the world. Even with those ...

JOURNALIST:                        [Interrupts] We've had a Royal Commission called because of relentless stories about the shortcomings in the aged care sector. You are saying that the longer term funding that the industry has been calling out for ages is going to have to wait until that happens? We've got a crisis at the moment, don't we?

GREG HUNT:                         No. That's ongoing. We've invested over $3 billion additional, since the 2018-19 Budget in long-term additional funding, $1.5 billion this year in additional funding just for COVID. At the same time, the underlying, deep structural work has been going forward. So we have a commission, we have the additional structural funding of the $3 billion and rising, and we have the supplementary measures for COVID all coming together. So we're planning for the long-term, we're implementing now and we're also implementing the additional measures which go above and beyond what has to be done to protect against community transmission.

JOURNALIST:                        I want to follow up Paul's question on Craig Kelly, sorry. It wasn't just that Craig Kelly criticised Dr Coatsworth. He said that he had, quote: misled the public and asked him to resign. In the middle of the pandemic as we are now, is it helpful to be raising doubts about independent medical experts? And to you, Professor, sorry, what was your reaction, I guess, to what you had to call an attack on your colleague?

GREG HUNT:                         Well, I'll respond firstly. In terms of Dr Coatsworth, we've been completely supportive of our medical experts throughout. As I mentioned before, the 1st of February, as the most significant first major decision after Professor Murphy declared this to be a disease of pandemic potential and trigger the National Medical Stockpile, the National Incident Centre, the AUSMAT and National Trauma Centre responses on the 21st of January. And we did that based on medical advice. We did that in the face of much criticism from others and overseas, but it was the right decision because we wanted to protect all Australians and elderly Australians. So we'll continue to follow the medical advice and we have the utmost faith in our medical advisors.

                                               Paul?

PAUL KELLY:                         Thank you, Minister. So we use the evidence that we have ahead of us, we are always open to new evidence, but our medical advice that we give to National Cabinet and others is based on that evidence. And so I will always defend that and I will defend my colleagues, including Dr Coatsworth.

JOURNALIST:                        Minister Colbeck, just to clarify what you said ...

RICHARD COLBECK:             ... about what we're doing while the royal commission continues because it's not correct to say that we haven't continued our reforms. Yes, the sector is looking for additional funding, but there are a range of reforms that are very important. As Minister Hunt has said, we put over $3 billion since the 18-19 Budget into new home care places to increase the capacity in that sector by over 50,000, and we've gone from 60,000 places to over 160,000 in our term in government. But we've continued to do a number of other things. We've continued the reform process around the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, which is now being pulled into one umbrella and that started on the 1st of July. We're boarding(*) into place a new aged care quality standard, which started on the first of July last year. We're currently out negotiating with the sector with respect to a worker registration program, because we understand that that's important. We're doing work on an alternative funding model and that is the real thing that going to put a floor under the sector, and we're working with the sector. And we're doing the preparatory work to put that in place as quickly as possible now once we come to our Royal Commission response.

                                               So there is a considerable amount of work that is already being done, watching closely what the Royal Commission is doing so that we're in the position to be able to respond to the Royal Commission report which is due on 26th of February in the May Budget next year. And as the Prime Minister said, we will continue to invest, as we've done at every opportunity, into things like home care, but we also need to reform the way that home care is delivered so that rather than having CHSP and home care packages, we have a single integrated continuum of care available for senior Australians. The work on that has also commenced, and the research that we've done for that has been shared with the Royal Commission so they can incorporate that into the work they are undertaking now. So there is considerable work to reform this sector, which we all understand needs to be done, and that's why we called the Royal Commission in the first place and we're being prepared for that when it gets to its completion.

Close

Tom Connell:

Well joining me live now is Aged Care Minister, Richard Colbeck. Minister thanks very much for your time, we had a mea culpa of sorts from the Prime Minister of course on Friday. What’s your message for people and families affected by the aged care deaths in particular that have swept through Victoria now.

Richard Colbeck:

Well obviously our condolences go to everyone who has lost a loved one through the impact of the pandemic particularly in aged care, very, very traumatic, tragic time for anyone who's close to this. I know that residents inside facilities across Victoria are concerned, they're frightened in a lot of circumstances. And it's a very, very difficult time for them and also for staff who are also very, very concerned about their own welfare and safety. So I share the sentiments of the Prime Minister that our sincere condolences to all of those who have been impacted and our assurance that we continue to do everything possible in the interests of those who are in residential aged care.

Tom Connell:

We've got help sent in the Doutta Galla in Victoria what's the process for this being triggered? Is it the facility asking the government? Is at a rate of infection in which the government intervenes? How is this working now?

Richard Colbeck:

Well we continue to monitor each facility on a daily basis. We have a case manager on each site. We get a report back from them every day, multiple times a day if necessary and the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre continues to monitor the conditions inside. We have a process as you are aware of transfer a hospital if that's part of managing the capacity of the facility to provide care to take the pressure off. And of course we have the various measures of surge staff. We have our AUSMAT teams our first responder nurses and also our surge workforce to make sure that we have capacity in the facility. So it's a range of things but we're in daily contact with the facilities and it's all of those things combined of course along with the assistance and oversight of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

Tom Connell:

And when you mention their ability to take residents to hospital Greg Hunt has said, reported today is saying a formal agreement- there is now a formal agreement any aged care resident with COVID-19 can get treatment in hospital. Was that not previously the case?

Richard Colbeck:

No that's always been our position that anyone who needed to go to hospitals should go to hospital.

Tom Connell:

Your position. But was it always something the states were pledging to do?

Richard Colbeck:

Well that's one of the reasons that the- it's not the automatic case for a COVID resident. But anyone who clinically needs to go to hospital, I'm not aware of anyone who's been refused that in the clinical sense. There are some who think that every COVID positive case should go to a hospital, that's assessed on a case by case basis and we've discussed on a number of occasions the inputs to that including the capacity of a facility to manage, the capacity to cohort and isolate within the facilities. There's a range of considerations with respect to sending residents to hospital and in some circumstances we've got a number of COVID negative patients, or residents who are in hospital so that we can use that transfer to hospital process as a mechanism to assist the facility to manage safely in the provision of course, Doutta Galla of course, there’s only COVID positive residents that remain at that facility. And the removal of the other residents to hospital there's been a part of the process in assisting to ensure the level of care in that facility.

Tom Connell:

When we talk about the issues being faced right now and again going back to that apology on Friday; the Prime Minister said in so many cases these are unforeseen circumstances. Counsel assisting in the royal commission said of the problems being faced none of the problems were unforeseeable. Who's telling the truth?

Richard Colbeck:

Well I don't think it's a matter of contest in that context. I think the Prime Minister and health officials have been working on this assiduously right through the period of pandemic. There are some unforeseen circumstances. I don't necessarily completely agree with counsel assisting as a number of others don't. And we've put those- our perspective quite clearly on the record in that context. There are there are unforeseen circumstances. We've acted continuously to learn from what we’ve-

Tom Connell:

[Interrupts] Such as what, Minister. What were the unforeseen circumstances?

Richard Colbeck:

Well I think the circumstance we saw at St Basil’s where every single worker on the site including management were regarded as close contacts. We understand the rationale behind that. Now we have the opportunity to look back. But it certainly wasn't the circumstance that we'd seen before or we had foreseen. And so there are things that have cropped up along the way.

Tom Connell:

[Interrupts] Well just on that one, while you mention that one sorry. So in Newmarch House and Dorothy Henderson in Sydney in this initial outbreak in New South Wales, that happened there in terms of those staff numbers being down to almost zero. I think 84 per cent of staff taken out in one and nearly 100 and the other. So didn't we know about this same issue ahead of what happened in Victoria, and couldn't things have been done to make sure that situation was catered for in Victoria?

Richard Colbeck:

Well the circumstances of the two were quite different, Tom. Firstly, the administrative staff at Newmarch didn't get taken out. They still had their management there, they still had their their back office there. At St Basil’s, everybody was declared a close contact, and so we had to replace the management, the catering, the cleaning, everybody in that facility, and that hadn't happened before, so it was very different. And the circumstance around capacity and staff availability were very, very different as well. We have got a significant issue with respect to staffing capacity and workforce capacity in Victoria right now. It remains a very, very tenuous situation. We’ve requested assistance from other states, and that assistance has started to arrive now into Victoria. And of course, you also have the circumstance in Victoria where they've got a significant level of infection in their health care workforce. And for some of the workers in residential aged care, you're drawing from exactly the same workforce, so the entire health and aged care workforce is under strain-

Tom Connell:

[Interrupts] Isn’t that something that's happened all around the world though, with every outbreak of COVID-19, that same impact has been felt?

Richard Colbeck:

It has in other cases, yes. And as we've felt the effects of that, we've continued to respond. And as have other states and territories in providing us with resource. And of course, the bringing together of the Victorian and the Commonwealth health systems, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, and other services through the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre has been a part of having an effect of that, to ensure that that body is has the capacity to make the appropriate decisions as a decision making body with respect to hospital transfers or other resources that might be required by individual facilities.

Tom Connell:

Okay. You’ve mentioned they're disagreeing with some of what Counsel Assisting is putting forward in the royal commission. Is it possible we're going to have a royal commission; a whole series of findings the Government disagrees with?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, I think that our disagreement was with the assertions made by Counsel Assisting. We note the comments of Commissioner Pagone at the end of the hearings last week. We will consider those very carefully, as we should. But with respect to some of the comments, particularly from – specifically from Counsel Assisting, they were the issues, the comments that we had took issue with. Those things have been countered by not only Professor Murphy, but by the Prime Minister and others.

Tom Connell:

What's your pledge then on the recommendations we're going to get around adopting them?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we're already preparing, watching very closely the work that the royal commission is doing. Obviously, the fact that we called the royal commission was an acknowledgement that there were issues in aged care in the first place. So no one's ever pretended that the whole sector has been perfect. There were issues that we wanted to address and deal with, and that's why we called the Royal Commission. So we'll be working very closely to watch what the royal commission says. And our objective is to be as prepared as possible to respond to the royal commission as quickly as possible, including all of the types of issues that we experienced they'll raise.

Tom Connell:

All sorts of warnings about help desperately needed now in the sector though. We had the apology on Friday. Can we expect a funding announcement soon, more money for example in the October budget?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we continue to monitor the circumstance of the sector. It's important that we do that. We respond to the issues that arise, and we've continued to do that. We've looked at the learnings from Dorothy Henderson Lodge and Newmarch, and a lot of those have been applied in our response in Victoria already. And we will continue to do that.

Tom Connell:

Is there a big package being worked on right now though?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, obviously, the resourcing of the aged care sector, the structure of the aged care sector is something that will be an important point of policy for us once we get to the end of the royal commission and their recommendations. And of course, we're preparing for that.

Tom Connell:

A busy time for you. Appreciate your time today, Minister. Thank you.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks. Tom.

 

 

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RICHARD COLBECK:

 

Thanks everyone. Today we’ve seen the release of the Royal Commission into the aged care sector’s interim report, and as the Prime Minister said when he announced the Royal Commission, that we needed to be prepared for some very, very difficult conversations, and to hear some very difficult things. What we have been is shocked at the extent of what we’ve found. But importantly, what’s happened is that this process has given senior Australians in particular a voice – an important voice in how they receive aged care and what might happen into the future. I said to industry last week, in anticipation of the report being released, that it would put us all on notice. It has certainly done that. It's done that in spades. It's put the government on notice, it's put the industry on notice, but I think as importantly as anything, it's put the entire community on notice.

 

It looks at the evolution of the aged care sector and the issues that sit within it in a generational and in an intergenerational sense, and the way that we treat and look after our older Australians. It challenges the intergenerational change in thinking and it challenges our generations. It also reinforces the need for government to continue the reforms that we've commenced since the Royal Commission was called last year. The new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, the new Quality Standards, new regulations on the use of restraint - and I'll come to a bit more about that in a moment - and increasing the number of aged care packages and access to aged care for senior Australians who want to age at home. It makes some very important recommendations in that sense as well.

 

So we've heard all these stories, we've heard too many of them. But it is, in my view, a necessary process because it gives me as Minister the imprimatur to drive reform and change through government, through industry, and importantly through the community. We need to have attitudinal change to the way that we interact, treat our older Australians. And I think it's important that we continue to work on that.

 

Happy to take questions.

 

JOURNALIST:

 

Is it also the case that it now urgently needs more funding, particularly when it says acting on the waiting list for home care packages is urgent?

 

RICHARD COLBECK:

 

In the context of home care packages, there's two things that I think need to occur. One is the way that the home care packages are delivered, and then of course there's the capacity of those in the market. But of course we've just put 25,000 new packages into the system over the year to July this year. So we are actually putting a lot more packages into the system. Since last year's Budget we've put $2.2 billion to funding additional home care packages, and that number has increased from 60,000 when we came to government to 125 now, and projected to go out to 157,000. But there's- I think given that there's about $600 million of funds that are tied up in packages that's not actually being utilised to provide care, there's also some reform of the system that's required and we’ll start looking at that now.

 

JOURNALIST:

 

So what you’re saying is there won’t be more funding following this report? So home care packages urgent…

 

RICHARD COLBECK:

 

No, I’m saying- what I’m saying is that there are already more home care packages projected to come into the market. There needs to be some reform of the home care system in the way that it’s delivered, and then obviously government's got some other considerations to make, because one of the three things that the Commission talked about as far as priorities was concerned was access to home care.

 

JOURNALIST:

 

What would be your first reform and when?

 

RICHARD COLBECK:

 

Well, we’ll continue to do the work that we're doing. The Commission highlights three things. It highlights home care packages; it highlights regulations around restraint; and it highlights young people with disabilities in residential aged care. So they’re three things that the Commission has said to us that we need to work on straight away. Obviously we have work afoot with respect to home care packages. We've already commenced work on the restraint process with new regulations that came into force on 1 July this year, and we continue to work with industry and other parties around that process, given that there's a Human Rights Committee report due to be tabled on that in the next few weeks. So those three things are the things that the Commission has asked us to focus on, and we'll work in those areas.

 

JOURNALIST:

 

Senator, can you explain a bit more how you will work on the home care packages? We know there are 120,000 people on the waitlist for Level 3 and 4 packages. Can you tell us a bit more about what you will do here? Because both senior groups and now the Royal Commission are saying what's happening at the moment is not enough, and people are actually dying while they're waiting to access these home care packages.

 

RICHARD COLBECK:

 

So as I said, we need to- I think we need to reform the way that they’re delivered into the market, because there is considerable funds that’s not being utilised in the delivery of care, and I’d rather see that money going to care delivery rather than sitting in funds as it is. And we need to continue to put more packages into the market. We’ve got some of that already projected, we’ll have to look at that further.

 

JOURNALIST:

 

Will the Government take any urgent action on the third point which is young people in aged care?

 

RICHARD COLBECK:

I agree with the Commission that young people shouldn't be in aged care, so that goes back to the assessment process and I think that's something that we really can do something about quickly, and should.

JOURNALIST:

Minister what is your message to the Oakden whistle-blowers who without having come out and talked about the abuse, this Royal Commission wouldn't have happened?

RICHARD COLBECK:

Well, I thank them for that process. I congratulate them for that. But as I said at the outset one of the really important things that this Royal Commission has done is to give people a voice. As I said earlier, the Prime Minister warned us that we would hear some bad stories. What shocked us all has been the extent of that. And so that process, where a family who were concerned about the care that their loved one had received has precipitated not only the inquiry that was conducted into the Oakden facility but then this Aged Care Royal Commission, I think is really important because ,as the report indicates, this is about the way that we treat older Australians as a nation. And so my comments about this report putting us all on notice, the government and governments over 20 or 30 years, the industry and also the community I think it sends a very, very important message.

JOURNALIST:

Just on the funding side again Minister, are you prepared to commit the government to putting additional funding into this sector given the report is quite clear that it is underfunded, it's not just about rejigging how these services are delivered. Are you prepared to commit to further funding before the final report of the Commission is handed down next year?

RICHARD COLBECK:

As I said what this report also does is give me as Minister the imprimatur to carry forward policy resolutions to improve the delivery of care. The Commission makes some significant recommendations - or not recommendations, but makes some comment about what's required in that space. I will use the imprimatur of the Royal Commission to carry all of those things forward with my colleagues.

JOURNALIST:

And Minister the report says this is urgent. How urgently will the Government be acting?

RICHARD COLBECK:

I will use the imprimatur of the Royal Commission report to carry the things forward that it says needs to be done with my colleagues.

JOURNALIST:

So we’d expect to see funding and in the MYEFO?

RICHARD COLBECK:

I will use the imprimatur of the report. You can be guaranteed of that.

JOURNALIST:

As Minister would you like to see funding in MYEFO? would you like to see that urgently?

RICHARD COLBECK:

Well I think I've answered your question.

JOURNALIST:

Not really. Would you like to see money by…

RICHARD COLBECK:

Well I will use the imprimatur of the Royal Commission report which I think lays it out for everybody what's required and I'll be doing that with my colleagues as part of the government process.

JOURNALIST:

Minister you talked a lot about what the Government's already doing and what's in train. Are you actually going to change anything the Government is doing in the aged care space as a result of this report today? You said it’s put everyone on notice but are you actually going to change anything or reprioritise anything?

RICHARD COLBECK:

I've had the report for a couple of, a couple of hours, it has just been released. So I'll work through what the report says. I will take notice of what the report says and any modifications to our approach I will incorporate into our policy development work. I think it's important that we do that. We called the Royal Commission for a reason. We wanted a forensic investigation of the whole aged care system, one that hasn't been done in the form that it's been done through the Royal Commission for decades, in a generation. We need to digest the report, look at what it says and then work out how we take that forward as part of our process of reform, which the report clearly says is required.

JOURNALIST:

Minister you said the report was shocking, what was the most shocking thing you read in the report today?

RICHARD COLBECK:

Well look I think clearly the stories of neglect, the stories of the way that the system wasn't working for older Australians we need to turn that around and that's what the process is about, that's why we called the Royal Commission. As we heard before it came out of the terrible circumstances that came from Oakden and the report that came back from Kate Carnell and Mr Patterson. And the extent to which these things are occurring I think that's the thing that's struck me and that's what motivates me and my colleagues to act on the back of the report that's been handed down today and of course we look forward to the final report which will come down in November next year, which will have some much more substantial recommendations in it. Thank you.

JOURNALIST:

Minister you’ve been in Government for six years now. Do you take some responsibility for the state of the sector?

RICHARD COLBECK:

I think all governments need to take some responsibility for it and I think that comes through in the report. I don't think this is necessarily about one side of politics or the other. This is about the way that the system has evolved and that's why I say that it puts governments on notice. It puts the industry on notice and it puts the Australian community on notice that we need to change the way that we approach how we care for older Australians.

Thank you.
 

 

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Fran Kelly:

Richard Colbeck is the Minister for Aged Care. Minister, welcome back to Breakfast.

Richard Colbeck:

Morning, Fran.

Fran Kelly:

It's now widely acknowledged that Victorian nursing homes are in crisis. This virus is spreading quickly out of control in some of these homes. Why wasn't the work done to better prepare the sector for the second wave of coronavirus which we all feared would come?

Richard Colbeck:

Well Fran, I wouldn't accept your characterisation of the circumstance of the sector. There are 71 facilities that have a case of COVID now and some of those are extremely concerning to us. But we continue to respond, the facilities I think are doing exceptionally well in managing the virus. The experience so far in most of them has been that they're handling things pretty well. We're providing a lot of support in the context of surge staff, in the context of assisting with communications and other resources that are required - PPE in particular.

So- and that's why we put the Response Centre together to coordinate all of those things particularly so that activities of the Victorian DHHS system, the Commonwealth system, Quality and Safety Commission and interacting with the sector itself could be coordinated in one place. There was a lot of communications going backwards and forwards across various forums and bringing them all together with some assistance from Defence with respect to logistics and some of the other coordination of management tools through Emergency Management in Victoria and Australia just brings- makes that communication quicker and the response times more prompt.

Fran Kelly:

Is it all happening a bit late though? As you say, you've said 71 aged care homes - and I thought it was only 50 - have reported cases. St Basil's, for instance, nursing home in Fawkner has had 78 cases yesterday. Of the 10 deaths from the virus in Victoria seven were in aged care homes - so there's clearly a problem. Are we too late in bringing together this capacity?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, we're responding appropriately I think to the situation as it's evolved. You only- if you think three weeks ago, Fran, we had four facilities where we had residents who had recovered from the virus and we were basically waiting for their isolation period to clear before we declared them COVID-free.

This circumstance has occurred in three weeks. It's purely as a- because of community spread and the fact that the virus is infectious before symptoms arise, and people are going to work in all sectors - not just aged care - when they're infectious and the virus is being spread. There are 381 healthcare workers across Victoria, as the Premier announced yesterday, that've got the virus.

Nobody's immune from this and unfortunately, because we don't know- people don't know that they've got the virus, they're asymptomatic, they're going to work. That's why we've ramped up the testing, that's why we put in the additional testing teams so that we could go around aged care facilities and asymptomatically test the workforce. We’re doing everything [indistinct]-

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] But Minister, isn’t that also why we should’ve trained the workforce properly in PPE? That there seems to be disturbing gaps. I mean the United Workers Union has surveyed a thousand aged care workers, one in three say there's not enough sanitiser and gloves; four in 10 say they don't know enough about infection plans; more than two thirds say they don't feel prepared to deal with an outbreak. With six months into this pandemic why hasn't the workforce been trained properly?

Richard Colbeck:

Well I would dispute that there's a shortage of PPE. I've seen the figures, I know what's there, and I know what’s being rolled out - so I disagree with that. There has been a significant uptake, and I've seen the numbers on completions of infection control - all facilities are required to have infection control plan. And I think one of the things that's been, been very disconcerting for workers is the portrayal of this virus. A number of the workers, a number of facilities that I've spoken to who, once they realise that they can fall back on their infection control training that they would use for a flu outbreak or for a gastro outbreak, it's the same systems, it's the same training, it's the same thing to fall back on - they feel so much more comfortable with the knowledge that they have that training.

Now- So I think we're trying to paint the sector and the workers in the wrong light - I think they're doing a really great job. The real problem with this situation that we sit in is that the virus is going into facilities with workers who don't realise they have it, they're asymptomatic. That's one of the reasons that we agreed with the Victorian Government, the week before last, that all workers in aged care in Victoria should wear a mask. It's another barrier to the ingress of the virus and we supply…

Fran Kelly:

[Talks over] And just on that, Minister …

Richard Colbeck:

… we've supplied the into the system [indistinct] …

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] And we spoke to you at that point. But just on that because - and no one’s trying to paint the workers in a bad light, this is a very stressful situation we know and we’ll come to this in a minute. A lot of these workers are, you know, working across facilities just to try and make a living. But we need to get this right and the health workers union has members of St. Basil's in Fawkner which has had, as I mentioned, 78 cases; and some of those workers say they were only given protective equipment last week and it was optional- they were told it was optional whether they wore- wore the gloves or the masks. Is this acceptable to you?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, no it's not acceptable and it's not the way that the system should be working and that will be appropriately investigated. And that conversation was had with the community last night when I spoke to them on a Zoom meeting. But we've been putting advice and assistance into the aged care sector since January - we provided advice on infection control, we've provided training programs, we've told them to get out their infection control plans and update them for COVID [indistinct]-

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] And it’s broken down, hasn’t it? I mean the spread of the virus within these- these homes shows us that's broken down. No matter if the…

Richard Colbeck:

[Talks] Well, I disagree, I would disagree with that, Fran.

Fran Kelly:

… well, if the workers were- if the workers were asymptomatic but proper infection control was being used nevertheless at a time of a pandemic, should there be this spread?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, Fran, that's where you're completely missing the point. When they're going to work infectious and not knowing they have the virus, there's no infection within the facility and so that's where the virus is being spread. Once we find a positive test, the situation within a facility changes. That’s one of the significant problems that we were dealing with and are dealing with as a part of this. And that’s why I continue to say; the situation in residential aged care is a symptom and the aged care sector is a victim of the community spread within Victoria. That’s where the problem lies and so-

Fran Kelly:

[Interrupts] Yes, that’s true. That’s where the problem started but now it is in the homes. So, now that it is in the homes and we are hearing from the staff themselves, through surveys and via the unions, should we be more aggressive in trying to deal with it? For instance, should there be more spot checks from the Aged Cares Quality and Safety Commission? The union wants Worksafe going in, conducting spot checks on the private providers. Is that a good idea now?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is doing spot checks. So, they are currently working their way through another round of communication with the entire sector in Victoria and that's been underway for a couple of weeks now - so, that work is being undertaken - and so, we continue to engage with the sector; we continue to provide updated advice. But I come back to the point - people are going to work asymptomatic, that's where the disease is being transmitted into the facilities. In the reports that I've seen so far there's not – say at Newmarch, for example - there is no evidence that I've been given, in fact, that the evidence is that there was no secondary spread within the community. So, the infections that are presenting are being presented- are a function of the initial spread and infection into the facility. So what we’re doing…

Fran Kelly:

[Talks over] Okay. Let’s talk about now what we're going to do about that.

Richard Colbeck:

… what we’re effectively dong is getting on top – once we’ve realised that there’s an infection in there I think the sector is doing exceptionally well in preventing further spread. It's a very different, difficult message to sell because the virus takes a period of time to incubate and it incubates at a different rate in different people. So, it might be that you start with a couple of staff and one resident and then 10 days later, once you go through a couple of different cycles of testing, you end up with a whole lot more because they've taken a bit more time to incubate - that's the thing that we're facing, at the moment, within the facilities. But, as soon as we get that first case notified the site is locked down, everybody goes to full PPE, they're managing under full infection control, staff who might be positive are isolated from the building and so are their close contacts. And that's one of the things that's help- that’s presenting in the context of staff shortages at the moment.

Fran Kelly:

And how much is the Government, is the Federal Government going to fund that workforce which is no longer going to be work across a number of facilities? Will you fund staff so that they have the salary they would have got if they'd worked across a number of homes?

Richard Colbeck:

Well that's one of the things that we've said we will do. So as of today there’s…

Fran Kelly:

So, is that happening now?

Richard Colbeck:

… as of today there's a voluntary agreement between the unions and the sector that staff will work across one facility. We've said that they should choose the facility where they're working their most hours as their primary site. We don't want to see workers disadvantaged in any context, but - and so we prepared to support and fund that. We're funding the surge workforce into aged care facilities, in some circumstances we're supporting them with their communications. We're also working with them on respect of some of the other issues that they're facing with some senior management and support. So, there is enormous support going into the facility - we're not sparing a dollar in respect of this and we're paying for the effects of COVID in an aged care setting.

Fran Kelly:

Minister, just before we run out of time. Talking about communications, I know you have spoken to some of the residents, you mentioned that in that Zoom call. At St Basil's relatives have been keeping vigil outside, they're desperate for news of their loved ones - their phone calls, their e-mails are going unanswered - it's like Newmarch House all over again. Some of them don't even know if their parents and their grandparents are still alive of if they're being cared for at all. Why is this happening again?

Richard Colbeck:

Well, it’s not completely a function of the communications out of the facilities. What we're doing and we set up last week was an outward call centre which is calling each family, the designated representative of each family every day. And so, those calls have been happening since Thursday. There has been some miscommunications - I'm happy to concede that it hasn't been perfect and we continue to work on that. Last night we established an inbound call centre because the switchboard at the site was being completely overwhelmed by concerned families, and so that number was communicated out to families last night.

Communication is really important and so we're putting a considerable effort into- well, firstly we established it, now we're putting a lot of effort into getting it right because we had- we did have some issues within the facility with getting correct information to people. And look, we apologise for that, we know that people are worried and we want to make sure that they get good information with respect to their loved ones. But it's a very, very complex situation inside and in some circumstances, Fran, it's also wrapped up in some quite complicated family situations outside.

Fran Kelly:

Richard Colbeck, thank you very much for joining us.

Richard Colbeck:

Thanks, Fran.

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Peter Stefanovic: You will? Okay, while we're on that, and it must be particularly concerning and frightening, for those who are in aged care at the moment? Now, there is a report in The Age this morning that said that there were plans for the Government to buy hundreds of defibrillators from overseas but that never proceeded because Victoria flattened the curve. Do you have any concerns about that if it's true?

Richard Colbeck: Look, I think the work that we've done, and I've had the opportunity to be closely engaged with that right through the management of the virus, to make sure that we have the equipment in place to provide appropriate health care has been exceptional. The officials in the department, Minister Hunt and all of those working with us in the health portfolio, have done an extraordinary amount of work to make sure that we have the hospital capacity; the ICU capacity; and, the equipment that we require to provide health services - and that was part of the strategy of the outcome. There’s been significant investment and significant management, I think we're in in reasonably good shape in that sense. So, I think people can be confident we have the capacity to deal with things that we need to deal with and we continue to pay attention to that.

Peter Stefanovic: Okay. So can you guarantee that there are enough ventilators, and defibrillators, and intensive care monitors?

Richard Colbeck: Well, in terms of the ventilators we went through a process of acquisition at a local level. We've actually had some Australian businesses who are adopted their systems to provide capacity. I'm very confident we've got capacity in the context of ICU beds and ventilators to make we can do the work that we need to.

Peter Stefanovic: Okay. Well, what lessons from the Newmarch House debacle have you learnt that is now in effect in Victoria?

Richard Colbeck: Well we have, I think, now very good systems to stand up each time we get a notification of an incidence of COVID in or around an aged care facility, and there have been a few in the last couple of days. I must say that a lot of that has come through the intensive testing that's being done by the Victorian Government, and that has provided us, I think, with some very good early notification of what's going on. It allows us to stand up our systems in conjunction with both the local public health unit, and also the age relevant aged care facility to make sure that we've got PPE available if they need it, to work to make sure that we've got the appropriate isolations in place. And make sure that it's - and it's mostly been staff I’ll say - but we're finding those early and finding people early - being able to track and trace and isolate is really important to get [indistinct]…

Peter Stefanovic: Just on Newmarch House, you’d be aware that relatives of victims are suing the owners of Newmarch House, claiming negligence. Do they have strong case?

Richard Colbeck: Look, I’ve seen reports of that. I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to provide any commentary on what might or might not happen there but obviously I was very, very closely involved with that on a daily basis. It’s pleasing that that whole incident has now been cleared up, tragic the circumstance but it just goes to show how devastating this virus can be if it gets out, particularly amongst vulnerable people and particularly the elderly.

Peter Stefanovic: Yep. Okay. Just on to your announcement today there is, as you might be able to see as our banner there, 6100 aged care packages that are on the way - that announcement coming today. What percentage of those packages will be going to remote areas?

Richard Colbeck: Well they’ll be rolled out across the country commencing immediately based on our national priority list. So they will be evenly rolled out across the country and it's based on our national priority list. I have no capacity to interfere with that, that is something that's controlled by the priorities of people who are seeking aged care packages.

We continue our investment in that, we put 10,000 new packages into the system immediately after the interim report of the Royal Commission. They said this was a priority, so we've taken the opportunity - given the budget's been delayed - to put another 6100, as you say, in now - again rolled out immediately. And that brings our investment into home care packages to over $3 billion since the 18-19 budget and over 50,000 packages, and more than 100,000 since we came together. So we understand it's a priority and we continue to invest [indistinct]...

Peter Stefanovic: [Talks over] But can you just elaborate, for those who might not be aware, what is a home care package?

Richard Colbeck: Well that's effectively providing care to Australians- seniors Australians in their home rather than having to go into an aged care facility. So, it’s- there are levels of package, we're working through a reform process of that system right now which is something that we wanted to do to make sure we get the best and the most value out of the dollar that we're spending. And of course the Royal Commission is considering what options we might look at in that context as well.

Peter Stefanovic: It would make sense though, wouldn't it, for those people who are in regional areas to be able to get some kind of priority for those packages? Because generally, services aren't as good as they are in metropolitan regions.

Richard Colbeck: Well look, when we look at the capacity of the residential aged care system and when we allocate beds, we also look at where the demand is. So we won't put new residential aged care beds in, for example, in a place where there's low occupancy or a lot of capacity. We look at making sure that there's a reasonable spread across the country on services. But the home care packages are allocated based on a national priority list so as you come on you work your way through the system, and they are spread right out through the country. And we'll see this continue to grow but the growth projections for home care and residential aged care continue to grow as our population continues to age, and that becomes one of the real challenges in how we manage the overall investment into aged care more broadly.

Peter Stefanovic: Okay Minister, just finally if we can switch hats and with your sports portfolio you know about Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin dying yesterday in absolutely tragic circumstances. He was one of the most popular members of the Australian Winter Olympic team, he was the flag bearer in 2014 in Sochi. Just, what’s your reaction to that?

Richard Colbeck: Well, it's an absolute tragedy when you lose a close family member or a friend, somebody with the personality of Alex. Just sincere condolences to his family, loved ones, and particularly those in his sporting circles. It is really a tragedy, a very, very sad loss as you say. Three time Olympian, Olympic flag bearer, so someone who's really made a mark during his life on not only this- on sport, but on his community.

Peter Stefanovic: Yeah, shocking it was, so young to die at the age of 32. Aged Care and Sport Minister, Richard Colbeck, appreciate your time this morning. Thanks for joining us.

Richard Colbeck: Thanks, Peter.

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