The Media: Aged Care Report Card 2007 – 2008
Related: Aged Care Report Card; The Data
The media were also interested in the way in which the Ageing Minister had reported the number of non-compliant nursing homes as 46 vs. 199:
Minister in public aged-care fumble: The Courier Mail - 17 December 2009
"...MORE than four times the number of nursing homes were found to be non-compliant in the 2007 to 2008 financial year than what was released by the Federal Government in their annual aged care report. Minister for Ageing Justine Elliot is being accused of misleading the public and Parliament over the watered-down figures -- contained in the 2007-2008 Operation of Aged Care Act report..."
"...Opposition ageing spokeswoman Margaret May said an annual report should include annual figures only and accused Ms Elliot of misleading the Parliament and the public..."
The Senior also seeked clarification from the Ageing Minister on the figures - the following article was published as a result "Elliot's figures don't add up" and made front page Headlines in their January 2009 edition across Australia: Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, NSW/ACT and Western Australia:
Elliot's figures don't add up: The Senior - January 2009
"...MINISTER for Ageing Justine Elliot has refused to respond to accusations of misleading the public despite admitting the number of nursing homes that failed acceptable standards last year was four times higher than indicated in her annual report..."
"...Opposition ageing spokeswoman Margaret May said an annual report should include annual figures only and accused Ms Elliot of misleading the Parliament and the public..."
The Combined Pensioners & Superannuants Association also ran a story in their January 2009 edition of The Voice
Let sleeping watchdogs lie: Combined Pensioners & Superannuants Association - 28 January 2009
"...What the Minister failed to mention was that there were 46 homes found non-compliant (that is, failing aged care standards) on 30 June 2008 – the last day of the financial year. In reality, 199 homes were found non-compliant over the calendar year. Minister Elliot acknowledged this after she was questioned by media..."
..." Under law, the Minister for Ageing is required to give a report on nursing homes and their standards of care each financial year. Surely the report should canvass the whole year – not just its final day! ..."
The Canberra Times agrees with Aged Care Crisis - highlighting the need for transparency in their article below:
Calls for transparency in aged-care assessments: Canberra Times - 24 December 2008
"...the minister originally provided a figure of 46 aged-care facilities that had not complied with at least one of the 44 standards in the last financial year. However, this number was later corrected to 199 after Aged Care Crisis highlighted an error had been made..."
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