4 years ago
TIME TO FIX THE AGED CARE JOBS CRISIS
SENATOR JESS WALSH
A ReachTEL poll released today has delivered a clear message to the Morrison Government: it’s time to fix the aged care jobs crisis.
The poll comes as the Senate’s Select Committee on Job Security begins its Melbourne hearings with a spotlight on insecure jobs in aged care.
ReachTEL surveyed 623 voters in Victoria’s marginal seats of Dunkley and La Trobe last week.
The poll comes as the Senate’s Select Committee on Job Security begins its Melbourne hearings with a spotlight on insecure jobs in aged care.
ReachTEL surveyed 623 voters in Victoria’s marginal seats of Dunkley and La Trobe last week.
- 61.1 per cent of voters were ‘very concerned’ about the state of Australia’s aged care system.
- 68.9 per cent ‘strongly agree’ that aged care workers are underpaid and undervalued.
- More than two thirds ‘strongly agree’ that a more stable and trained workforce will deliver better quality care.
More than half of voters (52.5 per cent) say aged care policies will be a factor in deciding their vote at the next Federal election.
Today’s public Inquiry will hear from:
Today’s public Inquiry will hear from:
- Aged care workers working multiple short-hour jobs to make ends meet.
- Epidemiologist Professor Catherine Bennett and other experts on how insecure jobs helped spread the COVID19 pandemic
- The peak body for non-profit providers Aged and Community Services Australia
“Voters understand the aged care crisis is fundamentally a crisis of insecure work,” member of the Senate Select Committee, Senator Jess Walsh, said.
“Aged care workers are beyond dedicated.
“But with aged care jobs being highly casualised and poorly paid, the workers are being spread too thin and are unable to provide the high level of care they would like and that residents need.
“Aged care workers and the residents they care for deserve so much better.”
Aged care workers are low-paid and undervalued, providing the most intimate care to the most vulnerable people.
But as we saw during the pandemic, they lack the resources they need to take care of vulnerable older Australians.
Labor recognises the need to support workers right across the aged care system – from personal care through to registered nurses and cleaners.
“It is a travesty that instead of funding secure, well-trained and decently paid jobs, the billions of dollars going into aged care allows operators to casualise, outsource and downgrade the care of older Australians,” the Chair of the Select Committee, Senator Tony Sheldon, said.
The Committee is due to report on November 30.
“Aged care workers are beyond dedicated.
“But with aged care jobs being highly casualised and poorly paid, the workers are being spread too thin and are unable to provide the high level of care they would like and that residents need.
“Aged care workers and the residents they care for deserve so much better.”
Aged care workers are low-paid and undervalued, providing the most intimate care to the most vulnerable people.
But as we saw during the pandemic, they lack the resources they need to take care of vulnerable older Australians.
Labor recognises the need to support workers right across the aged care system – from personal care through to registered nurses and cleaners.
“It is a travesty that instead of funding secure, well-trained and decently paid jobs, the billions of dollars going into aged care allows operators to casualise, outsource and downgrade the care of older Australians,” the Chair of the Select Committee, Senator Tony Sheldon, said.
The Committee is due to report on November 30.