House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport
Issue date: 7 December 2017
The Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport has commenced an Inquiry into the Quality of Care in Residential Aged Care Facilities in Australia.
Over 175,000 Australians live in permanent residential aged care. The Australian Government monitors the quality of care provided to aged care residents through the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency, which accredits and reviews aged care facilities, and the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner, which resolves complaints about government funded services.
The Committee Chair, Mr Trent Zimmerman MP, stated that 'the Committee will be examining Australia’s residential aged care system, in particular, the quality of care and services provided to aged care residents. The Committee will also consider the consumer protections available for aged care residents, including those who do not have family members to help them exercise their rights.'
SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED: Submissions from interested individuals and organisations are invited by 1 MARCH 2018.
Terms of Reference
The Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport will inquire into and report on:
- The incidence of all mistreatment of residents in residential aged care facilities and associated reporting and response mechanisms, including the treatment of whistle blowers;
- The effectiveness of the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency, the Aged Care Complaints Commission, and the Charter of Care Recipients’ Rights and Responsibilities in ensuring adequate consumer protection in residential aged care; and
- The adequacy of consumer protection arrangements for aged care residents who do not have family, friends or other representatives to help them exercise choice and their rights in care.
More information:
Committee members:
- Chair: Mr Trent Zimmerman MP (Liberal Party of Australia , North Sydney NSW)
- Deputy Chair: Mr Steve Georganas MP (Australian Labor Party, Hindmarsh SA)
- Member: Hon Damian Drum MP (The Nationals, Murray VIC)
- Member: Dr Mike Freelander MP (Australian Labor Party, Macarthur NSW)
- Member: Mr Andrew Laming MP (Liberal Party of Australia, Bowman QLD)
- Member: Mrs Lucy Wicks MP (Liberal Party of Australia, Robertson NSW)
- Member: Mr Tim Wilson MP (Liberal Party of Australia, Goldstein VIC)
- Member: Mr Tony Zappia MP (Australian Labor Party, Makin SA)
Further information about the inquiry, including the full terms of reference and details on how to lodge a submission are available on the Committees website.
For background information: House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport, (02) 6277 4145, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website and click on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner and use the forms to login to My Parliament or to register for a My Parliament account.
Making a submission
An effective way to make a submission to an inquiry is to frame and structure your contribution around each of the three terms of reference, even if you only respond to one of them. It can be as short as one page.
Protection and Parliamentary privilege: The presentation or submission of a document to a committee is privileged under the Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987. This means that a person is immune from legal action in respect of lodging the submission or any statements contained in it. If a submission is authorised by a committee for publication, its distribution is also immune from legal action.
- Making a submission to a Committee inquiry
- Submissions have already been published to this inquiry
- Whistleblower protection and claims (Maurice Blackburn Lawyers)
- Publications: Contributions made by Aged Care Crisis over the years to inquiries, reviews and consultations
