Sinking my teeth in

There have been some shocking stories of neglect and abuse in Tasmanian aged care homes in the media lately. And I’ve had similar stories coming into my office.

These allegations can’t be ignored any longer.

That’s why I’m calling on the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to do an urgent audit into Tasmanian aged care homes. From care standards, to nurse ratios and through the roof rates, it’s clear that some of these facilities aren’t meeting the standards we expect. I certainly wouldn’t want my mum or dad to be in these conditions. 

I’ve asked the question in Question Time. I’ve written to the Minister. I won’t stop until we make sure our elderly and vulnerable are getting the care they deserve.

I went to my first ever music festival last weekend! A big thank you to the organisers of Party in the Paddock for inviting me along to the festival for a chat.

We spoke about a lot of the issues facing young people in our community at the moment. The cost of living, impact of inflation on HECS-HELP debts, access to health and mental health services, education and the proposed Voice to Parliament were all on the agenda.

It’s so important to engage young people in conversations around politics. They are the next generation - we’re building a future for them. They should have a say in how that looks.

This week, I’ve been busy with Senate Estimates. Estimates is when we’re able to sit in front of a Department or Agency and ask them the tough questions. 

I’ve asked questions around Aged Care; what is the Commission doing about facilities that clearly aren’t meeting the standards? What is the Government doing to implement the recommendations from the Royal Commission? 

I’ve also asked about mental health, including questions about why the Government refused to extend the Better Access initiative (the extra 10 mental health sessions covered by Medicare). 

If there’s an area where you think the tough questions need to be asked, you can always contact me here.