9 November 2021
Steve Georganas has become the latest MP to join the ANMF’s Fix Aged Care campaign, saying the system needs to be overhauled.
Mr Georganas, the Federal Member for Adelaide in the House of Representatives, this week met with ANMF (SA Branch) CEO/Secretary Adj Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM and Director, Operations and Strategy, Rob Bonner, and signed the pledge to support the four key actions of the campaign.
The four key reforms the ANMF is asking for are to support:
1.
RN 24/7 – at least one registered nurse on site at all times
2.
Minimum mandated care hours and the right skills mix
3.
Greater transparency – funding tied to care
4.
Improved wages and conditions
Other politicians to join our campaign include former NSW Premier Kristina Kenneally, Andrew Wilke, Helen Haines and Jacqui Lambie.
Asked about the scale of neglect uncovered by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, Mr Georganas said “it was shocking, worse than we thought’’.
“It shows that the system is not working and it needs an absolute overhaul to ensure our older Australians are getting the care they deserve.
“All of us from the day we are born are getting older, so we are all going to be there one day (in need of aged care help). And we want to have the confidence that people will be looked after when they need those facilities, when they need those services.
“But also, we are going to be judged as a nation in generations to come on the way that we treated the older members of our community.’’
Ms Dabars said the support of politicians is “absolutely crucial” to getting the ANMF campaign heard and acted upon.
“They are our decision makers, we welcome that Steve Georganas has joined with us but obviously we would like him to talk to the party caucus and encourage Anthony Albanese and his parliamentary colleagues to join in as well,’’ she said.
“We ultimately need those decision makers to drive the change that we see as absolutely essential for the health and welfare of our community.’’
Find your local MP and send them a message to thank them or urge them to support aged care reform. You can find your MP
here.