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The Aged Care Services Minister has defended his decision to attend the Ashes in Hobart, instead of a COVID-19 inquiry into the crisis unfolding in Australian nursing homes.
When invited to give evidence to the Senate Committee on January 14, Richard Colbeck said he and others within the department were too busy dealing with Omicron outbreaks.
“Diverting time and resources… to give evidence before the committee at this crucial time would impact the urgent and critical work the department is undertaking,” Senator Colbeck wrote in a response early last month.
It was later revealed Senator Colbeck, who is also the Sports Minister, was at the first day of the fifth Test in Hobart on January 14.
During a committee hearing in Canberra today, Senator Colbeck said he stood by his decision to attend the cricket, and “continued to pay attention to aged care” while he was there.
“All through that weekend I worked through matters in both portfolios, but particularly aged care,” Senator Colbeck told the hearing.
“Although it was a weekend, and I was attending the test match.”
Tasmanian independent Senator Jacqui Lambie blasted Senator Colbeck for claiming he didn’t want to “divert resources” by holding the hearing.
“Was that just an excuse? Because quite frankly to me… it looks like you just weren’t coming because you would rather go to the cricket and drink frothies.”
Senator Colbeck said he stood by his statement that the department was focused on managing the high numbers of cases in aged care homes at the time.
“I’ve never refused to appear before the committee. The conversation we were having was around the timing,” he said.
Asked if the sector is in crisis, the Minister conceded residents and staff are under strain, but he believes they’re managing the situation.
“I know it’s certainly working very, very hard to manage the impacts, particularly of the Omicron outbreak,” he said.
“My view, and the data supports that, is the sector is performing exceptionally well in the work it’s doing.”
Source: 9News
