This week ABC Lateline viewers were treated to the spectacle of the Minister for Ageing, ex-policewoman, Justine Elliot, totally not up to the task of explaining to Tony Jones, and to the rest of us, how it is has come to pass that commonwealth-funded aged-care facilities catering for remote Indigenous communities are not even expected to meet the 44 standards required by all other facilities within Australia. 

Furthermore, she was unable to explain how it is that people experiencing dementia and those who are bedridden can be left overnight unattended and unprotected - with no staff on duty at all. Of course, the inevitable occurred, with the tragic death of a resident.  

Worse still, she did not have the judgement to state unequivocally, that the practice of leaving vulnerable people unattended at night will be remedied immediately. Instead, there was another media release outlining a series of measures, obviously cobbled together by her Department in the wake of the coroner’s report, and because of the associated publicity of the tragic Northern Territory death. 
What is it with the Ageing Portfolio?

Why do political leaders on both sides of the fence give this important job to those who are so clearly unable to perform their role? Last night’s ABC's Lateline revealed an incompetent Minister, while the previous government specialised in appointing Ministers for Ageing who used the Portfolio as a trial run as they prepared for what they considered to be bigger and brighter things.

For example, Liberal, Christopher Pyne, is known to want to follow in the shoes of his mentor, Alexander Downer. He wants to be Australia’s Foreign Minister and, while he was doing aged care, could barely conceal his disinterest in the old and frail. Now, just this week, Malcolm Turnbull has rewarded him by appointing him to the shadow education portfolio.
The one Minister who, at least, showed some enthusiasm for his job was Santo Santoro. He even introduced some critical reforms in the wake of the so-called "granny rapes" (which had actually occurred under Julie Bishop’s apathetic watch). But Santo had to resign after a share scandal and so failed us all too.

I guess when you are enjoying being important in Canberra it is easy to forget that one day you will be old and at the end of your life journey. You might even need to live in a commonwealth aged care facility - perhaps even one that has been sold off to the profiteers. Too late then!