While the Prime Minister has refused to comment on the upcoming federal budget, reports are suggesting the government is preparing to direct $10 million to aged care in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which made some rather damning statements about the sector.
“As a nation, Australia has drifted into an ageist mindset that undervalues older people and limits their possibilities,” the report said.
As such, the government is expected to use the budget to make its “substantive response”.
Addressing the media over the week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison hinted that the budget “will be an important part of what we’re seeking to do”.
Referring to the government’s recent $450 million allocation to aged care as its “initial response” to the royal commission, the PM announced that a plan is being put in place.
“We have at every single opportunity, back from when I was Treasurer, whether it was a half-year statement, a budget, we have always just been putting more and more and more into in-home aged care because we know that is the increasing choice of Australians,” the PM said.
“We have to deal with substantial quality control and delivery issues in residential aged care, which is where we’ve seen the bulk of the very concerning reports that came through the royal commission. It is a very big task, it can’t all be done, I think, in one go.”
Women’s economic security
The Prime Minister also confirmed that women’s economic security will play a part in the budget.
“I’m looking for a bipartisan path on women’s safety and women’s economic security and that path with the states and territories, which are crucial to delivering on this, we will sit down in July and start working through that,” the Prime Minister said, confirming the national cabinet will meet in July to discuss the creation of a national plan on this very question.
