The Greens say older people must be given the chance to properly scrutinise Labor's aged care deal with the Coalition, and that they are concerned the new legislation may fall short of the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
As stated by Greens Older People spokesperson, Senator Penny Allman-Payne:
"The voices we need to be hearing from right now aren't the for-profit aged care providers, it's the older Australians who will be most impacted by this legislation.
"Older people deserve the highest quality care and support, and even though we are still working our way through the legislation I'm concerned that opening the door to an expanded user-pays model prioritises the profits of providers over enforceable standards of care.
"The key driver for aged care reform was never 'budget repair' or provider profitability, it was the urgent need to improve care, quality and enforcement in the sector after the shocking revelations of the Royal Commission.
"We have seen appalling behaviour from industry consultants, lobbyists and aged care providers trying to game the system for financial gain. Older people must have certainty that they will no longer suffer exploitation and abuse at the hands of these predatory operators.
"That's why it's absolutely critical that older Australians be allowed to properly scrutinise these changes and contribute to the Senate inquiry into the legislation, and that's what the Greens will be pushing for.
"Every Australian fortunate enough to live into old age will need to be cared for. If this really is the once-in-a-generation opportunity for reform that Labor claims, it's essential we get it right."
