Labor Party calls for minimum staffing levels after petition launched

Aged care issues have entered the Groom by-election campaign after a local resident has voiced concerns.

The Australian Labor Party has backed calls of a Toowoomba resident to increase nursing numbers at aged care facilities across Australia.

Kat Cherry was disgusted to find her deaf and blind dad Kevin laying on faeces-stained sheets in his room at a Toowoomba aged care facility late last month.

Now, she has started a parliamentary petition calling for legislated nurse to patient ratios in aged care as a priority.

She has also requested the House of Representatives put forward an advocacy group to help and represent families in the complaint processes, and that the house of representatives address the shortage of trained nurses in aged care.

Queensland-based Labor Senator Nita Green was in Toowoomba this week to talk about aged care with Chris Meibusch in the lead up to the Groom by-election.

Chris Meibusch and Nita Green.

Ms Green said the party had called on the Federal Government to make sure there were minimum staffing levels at aged care facilities.

“It’s a really crucial step that this government could take right now to make sure that there are enough people staffing these facilities to make sure that there honestly isn’t a situation where people fall through the cracks,” she said.

“That is not something we want to see.”

Ms Green said her heart went out to families, like Ms Cherry’s, who had experienced issues in aged care homes.

“I know there are many families who are experiencing the same situation right now and it takes a lot of guts to tell your personal story,” she said.

LNP candidate Garth Hamilton said he had family who had been in aged care and he knew how important it was for families.

“There have clearly been cases where the system has failed,” Mr Hamilton said.

“That’s why the (Federal Government) set up the Royal Commission Into Aged Care to look into these issues.

Groom LNP candidate Garth Hamilton

“What’s important is the Royal Commission will be releasing its report in February and the Morrison Government will be providing a response to those findings.”

Mr Hamilton said the government would “absolutely” consider those findings.

“If I’m elected I’ll very much work with local residents to make sure any issues they have are raised and appropriate actions are taken when needed,” he said.