19th Sep 2018, 4:47 PM – Senate Motions - Aged Care - Royal Commission and people with disability

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John (WA), which means it failed.

Motion text

That the Senate:

(a) notes that:

(i) on 16 September 2018, the Prime Minister announced a royal commission into Australia's Aged Care system, ahead of the ABC's Four Corners report on the treatment of older Australians in aged care homes,

(ii) the media has extensively reported on violence, abuse, and neglect against people with disability,

(iii) the Community Affairs References Committee held an inquiry into violence, abuse, and neglect against people with disability in institutional and residential settings during the 44th Parliament,

(iv) on 25 November 2015, the Community Affairs References Committee tabled its report containing 30 recommendations, the headline recommendation calling for a royal commission into the issue,

(v) on 2 March 2017, the Government responded to the recommendations in this report, where it refused to commit to a royal commission,

(vi) in May 2017, more than 120 academics from around Australia signed an open letter urging the Prime Minister to act on the headline recommendation of the Senate inquiry, and a civil society statement from Disabled People's Organisations Australia and endorsed by 163 organisations and groups and over 380 individuals called for a royal commission, and

(vii) on 4 December 2018, the Senate passed a motion calling on the Government to reconsider its decision and commit to a royal commission into violence, abuse, and neglect of people with disability in institutional and residential settings; and

(b) calls on the Government to extend the Royal Commission into Aged Care to include violence, abuse, and neglect against people with disability in institutional and residential settings.