Following last week’s announcement by the Morrison Government of a royal commission into the aged care sector, on Monday night further allegations of abuse and neglect were aired in the second episode of the ABC’s Four Corners investigation into the sector. The CEO of peak body Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA), Ms Pat Sparrow, stated that there is ‘no excuse’ for poor or neglectful care, and that the stories told in the episode ‘fall well short of the standards of care all Australians expect for our elders’.
In the past week, thousands of individuals and organisations have made their contribution to what they believe the inquiry should cover.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP, received over 4800 submissions on what the commission’s terms of reference should contain before submissions closed on Tuesday. Later this week, the
Minister has been holding a series of aged care round tables and meetings to finalise the terms of reference before a commissioner is appointed.
Prime Minister, the Hon Scott Morrison MP, confirmed that the commission would investigate staffing levels within the sector, and emphasised that the government hopes to begin the inquiry before the end of 2018.
A royal commission is typically granted broad investigatory powers, including the abilities to summon witnesses and take evidence, to authorise police to apply for search warrants and to offer indemnities. It then typically makes recommendations for government to consider, which could include changing the laws and regulations that govern the sector in question.
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