Coronavirus: Release Newmarch House report now, says ALP

Labor is calling on the government to urgently release a critical review into the coronavirus outbreak at Sydney’s Newmarch House.

Labor is calling for the report into health authorities’ response to the coronavirus outbreak at Newmarch House to be urgently released. Picture: Adam Yip

Labor is calling on the government to release a critical review into the coronavirus outbreak at Sydney’s Newmarch House that claimed 19 lives, saying the report must be made public to assist those responding to the aged-care crisis in Victoria.

A separate probe into the Dorothy Henderson Lodge outbreak, which was provided to the commonwealth in April, was ­quietly made public last week when it was tendered as evidence as part of the aged-care royal commission that found staffing issues were the key issue for responders.

Workforce shortages have been a critical issue in Victoria in the coronavirus second wave, with more than 1000 healthcare workers testing positive to the virus and hundreds more isolating as close contacts.

“As more cases were diagnosed, it was assumed all personal carers and (registered nurses) had been close contacts (and they) were furloughed for two weeks’ self-quarantine,” the review found. “The sudden departure of regular carers and RNs was a major blow to both residents and management.”

The Australian revealed on Tuesday that authorities had spent only $20m out of a $43m assistance package to plug staffing shortages in aged-care homes.

Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck told the Senate inquiry scrutinising the government’s response to COVID-19 on August 4 that the Newmarch report would be released upon its completion last week but it is yet to be made public.

The Australian understands the aged-care sector has been given assurances the Newmarch report will be discussed at national cabinet this Friday where the governments are expected to agree to the urgent creation of aged-care rapid response centres in all states and territories.

“The commitment to Newmarch has been to release it,” Senator Colbeck said in Aug­ust. “The Dorothy Henderson Lodge (report) went to national cabinet and has been provided to the aged-care royal commission, which means it will be publicly released.”

Labor believes important lessons gleaned could inform the response in Victoria, which on Tuesday had 2024 active cases across 120 aged-care facilities.

Opposition aged-care spokeswoman Julie Collins on Tuesday dismissed claims by Scott Morrison that the crisis in Victoria could not have been “anticipated”.

“His government had been repeatedly warned,” she said.

“The Morrison government must immediately release the report it has on the Newmarch House outbreak to assist aged-care homes facing outbreaks of COVID-19. It’s not good enough that the federal government hasn’t been more transparent about this report.”

Counsel assisting the aged-care royal commission, Peter Rozen, last week excoriated the federal governmen­t’s handling of the sector during COVID-19, saying it had failed to heed the lessons of earlier outbreaks.