Aged-Care CCTV

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Health and Wellbeing a question about CCTV cameras in aged-care facilities.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: On Monday, the federal government released the final report on the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. After three years of hearing harrowing and deeply disturbing evidence of abuse and neglect in aged-care homes across the country and receiving thousands of submissions, it came up with 148 recommendations.

While we welcome many of the recommendations, we are staggered that the role that CCTV cameras could play in protecting aged-care residents was virtually ignored, and we are not alone. Noleen Hausler—who covertly filmed the horrifying assault of her father, Clarence, aged 89, in an aged-care facility—is also deeply disappointed, along with Oakden whistleblower and prominent aged-care advocate, Stewart Johnston.

The commission's very foundations were made on the back of disturbing vision taken from hidden cameras of aged-care residents being abused and assaulted in their bedrooms by people who thought they weren't being watched—yet not one mention in the royal commission's final report. My question to the minister is:

1. Are you surprised by the royal commissioners' decision to virtually ignore CCTV technology and the role it can play in not only protecting aged-care residents but also improving the general safety of residents and lifting the standard of care?

2. Does this give the government an out with not proceeding with having CCTV cameras installed for the residents of state government-operated aged-care facilities?

3. Can the minister give us an update on the latest in the trial of CCTV cameras?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:53): I thank the honourable member for his question. With all due respect, I am not going to comment on what the aged-care royal commission should or shouldn't have included in its report. Certainly, the observation that the honourable member makes is consistent with my advice, which is that whilst there is some mention of CCTV through the volumes of the report, there is no specific reference to the SA Health CCTV pilot.

In response to the honourable member's particular question, this government is not looking for an out. We are committed to the CCTV pilot, and in that regard my understanding is that the pilot is progressing and that it will be a value-add in accordance with the government's commitment. There will be two SA Health-operated residential aged-care facilities that will be involved, and we are working closely with residents and their support networks throughout the project because it is particularly focused on assessing the trial from both the staff's point of view and also that of the residents and their families.

In terms of things the commission did refer to, it was noteworthy in their final report, volume 1, page 27, that they said:

After years of critical reviews, it took the Oakden catastrophe in South Australia to expose again the cracks in the aged care system. Over the two years of our inquiry, we have catalogued the failures of the system, shining a light on the egregious abuse, mistreatment and neglect that we discovered.

In that regard, it was my privilege last week to be present at the opening of the neurobehavioural unit at the Repat hospital. The neurobehavioural unit at the Repat hospital is a repurposed facility which, as an aside, was to be demolished under the former Labor government's proposal to sell off the Repat. That former ward 18 has been secured as the base for the neurobehavioural unit. I was delighted to see the fruit of the labour of the SA Health design team working in a co-design way to deliver a facility that would support older South Australians with mental health issues, particularly with the most severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.

It was a privilege to catch up again with Barb Spriggs and her son and also with Stewart Johnston. I refer honourable members to comments that Mrs Spriggs made on 2 March. She said:

I think already a lot has changed with the royal commission from when it started. Things have started to improve in aged-care facilities and I think the government are listening to what needs to be done, and maybe I can say I was privileged to go to the opening of the Repat last week and it comes across quite clearly that the government has been listening to what needs to be done in taking care of vulnerable people, because they are putting a lot of things already in place at the Repat, so I am hoping all of these things can be implemented right through our aged-care facilities.

We need to be clear that the task before us is huge. The royal commission has given us a substantial body of work. It will be a responsibility not merely of the federal government but also of the state government and our partners in the not-for-profit sector and the wider aged-care sector to step up to the challenge.

In that regard, I let the house know that the national cabinet has already indicated to the national cabinet health reform committee that one of its areas of focus that it wants the health reform committee of national cabinet to focus on this calendar year is aged care, and my understanding is particularly the response to the royal commission report.

I note the observations that the honourable member has made in relation to CCTV. I've got no doubt that the pilot this government has underway and is committed to will provide valuable insights that we hope will play their part in promoting quality and safety for the residents of aged-care facilities.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Pangallo has a supplementary.