ELDER ABUSE

Ms THOMPSON (Reynell) (14:37): Thank you ma'am. My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Can the minister inform the house about actions to address the issue of elder abuse?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: You're such a wit. The member for Unley is such a wit.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Transport, order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts) (14:38): I think we would have to pay that one, Madam Speaker. I do thank the member for her question. This morning, on the eve of World Elder Abuse Prevention Day, I was very pleased to open the World Elder Abuse Prevention Conference, called 'There's no excuse for abuse: addressing the future', hosted by the Aged Rights Advocacy Service and featuring local, interstate and overseas speakers.

Simultaneously, I released the report, 'Closing the gaps: enhancing South Australia's response to the abuse of vulnerable older people', and I am happy to table a copy of that report here today. This state government commissioned report is an outcome of $100,000 funding provided to the Office for the Public Advocate by the Office for the Ageing for a vulnerable adults project. I would like to thank the Public Advocate, Dr John Brayley, and his team for their work on this important and comprehensive report which sets out ways to tackle the growing concerns about elder abuse.

Closing the Gaps recommends a legislated rights-based approach and the development of a mandatory responding policy framework. There is an international groundswell supporting similar protection models around the world. I have forwarded the Closing the Gaps report to the government strategic priority group, Safe Communities and Healthy Neighbourhoods Cabinet Task Force Senior Officers Group, and I have also asked the Office for the Ageing to review and refresh the 'Our actions to prevent the abuse of older South Australians' strategy of 2007, taking into consideration the Closing the Gaps report. This strategy was developed under 'Improving with age: our ageing plan for South Australia', and provided a meaningful framework for action. It is now time to revisit that work.

As Minister for Health and Ageing, I have a strong personal commitment to upholding the safety and the wellbeing of older South Australians, wherever they may live. The welfare of all of our vulnerable citizens, especially older citizens, is a shared concern. We would all agree that people cannot maintain health, wellbeing and community connection if they are not safe in their homes—it is fundamental.

Elder abuse occurs when a relationship of trust is abused and results in harm to the older citizen. We know that the most common form of reported or suspected abuse of other adults is financial abuse, followed by psychological and physical abuse. My actions today have been informed by recent discussions with my cabinet colleague, the Hon. Ian Hunter, Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, the Hon. Mark Butler MP, federal Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, and Dr Alexandre Kalache, Adelaide Thinker in Residence on ageing.

As the state with the oldest population in Australia, alongside Tasmania, we have great impetus to act on elder abuse. As at 30 June 2010, 15.6 per cent of our population was 65 years and older. By 2025, it is projected that more than a fifth of our population will be over 65 and by 2056 more than a quarter. The over 85 population is the most rapidly increasing, it is expected to increase by 77 per cent by 2025—extraordinary figures—and a huge 580 per cent by 2056.

We need a multilayered approach to protecting the rights of our vulnerable adults, increasing numbers of whom will be seniors. As Minister for Health and Ageing, I am working to both improve the lives of older people now and to plan for the future. Therefore, I commend this report to the house and, once again, I thank John Brayley and his team for the admirable work they did on this report.