Federal government had no Covid-19 aged care plan, royal commission hears

In Melbourne, some families haven’t known whether their loved ones are alive or dead, which is “unforgivable”, the barrister assisting the inquiry says

The Morrison government has said it did have a strategy for Australia’s vulnerable aged care sector, despite the senior counsel assisting the royal commission into aged care arguing the health department and regulator both failed to develop a Covid-19 plan, rendering the industry “underprepared”.

After Monday’s blistering opening statement at the royal commission by Peter Rozen QC, the federal minister for aged care, Richard Colbeck, issued a statement saying the government had been “continuously building on our response to Covid-19 in residential aged care since January 2020”.

Continue reading…In Melbourne, some families haven’t known whether their loved ones are alive or dead, which is “unforgivable”, the barrister assisting the inquiry saysDownload the free Guardian app to get the most important news notificationsCoronavirus Australia maps and cases: live numbers and statisticsThe Morrison government has said it did have a strategy for Australia’s vulnerable aged care sector, despite the senior counsel assisting the royal commission into aged care arguing the health department and regulator both failed to develop a Covid-19 plan, rendering the industry “underprepared”.After Monday’s blistering opening statement at the royal commission by Peter Rozen QC, the federal minister for aged care, Richard Colbeck, issued a statement saying the government had been “continuously building on our response to Covid-19 in residential aged care since January 2020”. Continue reading…