Coronavirus: Richard Colbeck walks out on ‘ALP games’

Richard Colbeck claims Labor has had its ‘gotcha moment’ over his handling of the aged-care crisis.

Richard Colbeck on Thursday. Picture: Gary Ramage

Minister Richard Colbeck says Labor has had its “gotcha ­moment” over his handling of the aged-care crisis as he was forced to the Senate to explain the government’s preparations.

But the Aged Care Minister’s decision to walk out of the chamber after making a statement, and while Penny Wong was responding, triggered new claims he had turned his back on accountability as the national death toll of nursing home residents hit 353 on Thursday.

Senator Colbeck, who was compelled to appear after the Senate passed a motion on Wednesday, defended his work.

“For us, this has never been about politics, the operation of the national cabinet demonstrates that,” he said. “I have been working every day with the aged-care sector — providers, staff and families — to ensure that these people in care, those who first cared for us, receive the highest level of protection … for this, I am accountable.”

He said “Labor can have their gotcha moments”, referring to his bungle at an inquiry into the government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis at which he was unable to remember how many aged-care residents had died, and he again apologised for the gaffe.

He accused Labor of “playing games” over the issue and argued he had been there “every step of the way”, having spoken with many Victorian Labor MPs about how to handle outbreaks in their electorates, as well as the families of victims.

As Senator Wong started to ­deliver her response, Labor senators erupted in jeers when the Aged Care Minister walked out of the chamber.

She asked him to stay, but he didn’t, leading her to reiterate calls for him to be sacked. A spokesman for Senator Colbeck said the minister had left the Senate to attend a scheduled phone-hook up with an aged-care provider.

Senator Wong called on the upper house to consider his performance as a minister and asked: “Would you trust your parents, your grandparents, your aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, wives or husbands to Senator Colbeck’s care?

“The fact is senator Richard Colbeck has lost the confidence of the parliament. He has lost the confidence of the public. And he has to go.”

Senator Wong’s demands for Senator Colbeck’s sacking came ahead of Anthony Albanese’s speech on aged care at the ­National Press Club.

The Opposition Leader agreed Senator Colbeck “should lose his title”. “They have churned through seven ministers with responsibility for aged care — one for every year they have been in power,” he said. “The incumbent doesn’t even sit in the cabinet. And this week he was effectively demoted. He’s lost his responsibility and now he should lose his title.”