05/02/2023

A growing number of locations across Sydney have been put on high alert after NSW reported 10 new cases of COVID-19 overnight.

Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said this afternoon he never considered resigning over the number of coronavirus deaths and infections in Australia’s aged care facilities.
“No, I haven’t considered my resignations,” Mr Colbeck said in response to a question over whether he’d offered his resignation to the PM.
Mr Colbeck denied he was personally at fault for the failures in aged care, saying funding and regulating the sector was a federal responsibility.
“But we are also in a global pandemic here, we have a significant public health emergency in Victoria,” he told reporters.
“That’s why the public health emergency has been declared by the Victorians, this is a joint effort.
“That is why we have set up the Victorian health response centre to make sure the systems come together to provide the support required for all Victorians and residential aged care, and have to say, the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre, an initiative of the Commonwealth has been an absolute success and has assisted enormously, to bring the situation back under control.”
During Question Time, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was questioned by the Opposition over why Mr Colbeck “still has his job”.
“Because under this Aged Care Minister, $1.5 billion of additional support has been put into the aged care sector during the COVID-19 crisis,” Mr Morrison responded.
“When additional resources are required to address the significant challenges in aged care sector, the minister has consistently brought forward submissions for additional support to be provided right across the board in aged care sector, whether it is to ensure the viability of the sector, to ensure there is additional appropriate training that has been provided, there is additional work for support, $1.5 billion, including more than $500 million announced by the Minister for Health and the Miniter for Aged Care today, just today, to ensure the extension of COVID-19 arrangements which is necessary.”