2024-03-12
Following today’s release of the aged care taskforce report, Greens Aged Care spokesperson, Senator Janet Rice, has called on the government to increase taxes on billionaires and big corporations to properly fund the overburdened aged care system and ensure the taskforce’s recommendations aren’t opening the door to unaffordable services and higher profits for private providers.
Senator Rice said:
“While the Greens support the wealthy paying their fair share, I’m concerned opening the door to an expanded user-pays model risks only serving to increase the profits of the private providers that are already robbing older Australians blind.
“People in aged care deserve care and support, not exploitation that maximises provider profits. The report’s example of a user paying extra to get additional subscription TV services in their room could be a harbinger of a system where providers fleece people in aged care for every minimum creature comfort.
“The elderly are not commodities - they are people. It should be an obligation of any moral society for the government to ensure our older people get the care they need.
“We have already seen deplorable behaviour from industry consultants, lobbyists and aged care providers trying to game the system for financial gain, which shows exactly what happens when the government allows public services to be exploited by private companies with inadequate oversight and regulation.
“If more emphasis on user-pays approaches is the answer, then we’re asking the wrong questions. The government needs to be responsible for funding an accessible system for all Australians who need it.
“The Government is still billions short of the $10 billion in funding for the sector that was recommended by the Royal Commission. If Labor got their priorities in order and increased taxes on big corporations, we could afford to invest the money so that people in aged care can be living a dignified life with the support they need.”