Star rating system for aged care
Aged care facilities will see a star rating system in place by the end of the year, the federal minister for the portfolio says.
AAP reports it is part of the government’s push to ensure more transparency and accountability in the sector following the findings of the aged care royal commission.
The system will rate facilities on different aspects of care and services to allow people to choose a home that suits their needs best, aged care minister Anika Wells said.
It comes as the government prepares to submit a proposal on Monday to the Fair Work Commission, which is considering whether to lift the pay rates for residential and home care workers.
The government will advocate for a “significant and meaningful” pay rise but won’t attach a specific number to it, Wells said.
She told Sky News on Sunday:
We need to do something to value aged care workers better and that starts with a pay rise.
It is for the commission to decide exactly what percentage the work value cases were, but [the government has] agreed that we will fund it no matter what the decision.
Unions are advocating for at least a 25% pay rise for employees in the wake of the royal commission, which recommended a wage increase to reflect the value of their work.
The government is focused on improving the standard of aged care but it must be done in a sustainable way, Wells said.
These reforms have to outlast us all and I know that I won’t be able to leave my office … knowing that I have fixed aged care for once and for all, because it’s huge.
Key events
Defending Taiwan is in Australia’s self interest, shadow defence minister says
Hastie is asked if the opposition think Australia should support Taiwan militarily if China invaded.
I think it is a principled position to defend your neighbour, but it’s also a principle borne out of self-interest. If I don’t stand up for other countries, who will stand up for me? As a nation of only 26 million people on a vast continent, we need as many friends we can get.
In fact, I would say the era of the lucky country is over. It’s dead and buried and we need to start thinking with this new development over the last decade about how we secure ourselves into the future and the strategic culture of Singapore and Israel are good examples of how we can prepare for the challenges ahead, given our size and strength relative to countries like China and Russia.
Hastie questions defence review appointments
Hastie is asked if he believes the Australian Defence Force have the right assets right now for what he has described as a “bleak” outlook.
After the last decade under the Morrison, Turnbull governments we have invested a lot in Defence Force. Upgraded and bought 70 new ships, struck the Aukus deal, and cyber capability, but there is more to be done and the review can look the these things. My worry is, Angus Houston is a very fine officer, however, Stephen Smith has a very mixed record from 2010 to 2018 and he oversaw the biggest cuts over 74 years. I’m not sure Stephen Smith is the man to send to signal about Defence going forward.
Defence review should respond to China’s military build-up, shadow defence minister says
The government has announced a review into the Australian Defence Force, as defence minister Richard Marles has called the military build-up from China “the biggest military build-up” since the second world war.
The shadow minister for defence Andrew Hastie is currently speaking on ABC Insiders, saying the government’s defence review should respond to China’s military build-up.
Hastie said:
The strategic outlook is very bleak. It is being driven by a rising China with both revisionist and expansionist ambitions.
Almost 10 years ago former Singaporean prime minister Lee Kuan Yew said that China will reach a crossroads when it has grown sufficiently in military and economic might and the question will be: does it become a good global citizen, or does it use its strategic bolt to force or seek a sphere of influence?
What we’ve seen over the last week, particularly with the missiles being fired in and around Taiwan is they are using that strategic bulk, and we need to respond to that. Insofar as the review does that, I welcome the review.
Tributes to Judith Durham pour in
Tributes from Australians and overseas continue to come through in memory of singer Judith Durham, who has died at age 79.
Those in the music industry, like Canadian musician Ron Sexsmith, as well as author Philip Pullman have remembered Durham, as well as Australian politicians, journalists and musicians.
The carnival is over, and there’ll never be another you. RIP Judith Durham.
— Philip Pullman (@PhilipPullman) August 6, 2022
When my brothers and I were pre-teens, we used to sing Seekers songs and dream of global fame. We decided we’d call ourselves “The New Seekers.” (Someone else got there first). Vale #JudithDurham. The carnival rolls on somewhere https://t.co/NNMadVPXXk
— Hugh Riminton (@hughriminton) August 6, 2022
Star rating system for aged care
Aged care facilities will see a star rating system in place by the end of the year, the federal minister for the portfolio says.
AAP reports it is part of the government’s push to ensure more transparency and accountability in the sector following the findings of the aged care royal commission.
The system will rate facilities on different aspects of care and services to allow people to choose a home that suits their needs best, aged care minister Anika Wells said.
It comes as the government prepares to submit a proposal on Monday to the Fair Work Commission, which is considering whether to lift the pay rates for residential and home care workers.
The government will advocate for a “significant and meaningful” pay rise but won’t attach a specific number to it, Wells said.
She told Sky News on Sunday:
We need to do something to value aged care workers better and that starts with a pay rise.
It is for the commission to decide exactly what percentage the work value cases were, but [the government has] agreed that we will fund it no matter what the decision.
Unions are advocating for at least a 25% pay rise for employees in the wake of the royal commission, which recommended a wage increase to reflect the value of their work.
The government is focused on improving the standard of aged care but it must be done in a sustainable way, Wells said.
These reforms have to outlast us all and I know that I won’t be able to leave my office … knowing that I have fixed aged care for once and for all, because it’s huge.
China warns Australia against ‘finger-pointing’
The Chinese embassy in Australia has this morning condemned a joint statement from Australia’s foreign minister Penny Wong together with her Japanese counterpart and US secretary of state in response to Beijing’s unprecedented military aggression.
The joint statement released on Friday expressed concern over China’s large-scale military exercises in the water of the Taiwan Strait and condemned the China’s ballistic missiles landing in Japan’s exclusive economic zones.
In response, a spokesperson from the Chinese embassy has said Beijing is “seriously concerned and strongly discontent”. The spokesperson went on to say:
It is absolutely unacceptable for the finger-pointing on China’s justified actions to safeguard state sovereignty and territorial integrity. We firmly oppose and sternly condemn this.
The statement goes on to defend the actions taken by the Chinese government as “legitimate and justified” in order to “safeguard state sovereignty and territorial integrity and curb the separatist activities”.
The spokesperson says the one-China principle “should be strictly abided by and fully honoured. It should not be misinterpreted or compromised in practice.”
If you want to keep up to date with the latest on the crisis in Taiwan, the Guardian has a separate live blog that will bring you all the updates as they happen:
Good morning!
China has defended its recent military activity, warning Australia against “finger-pointing” this morning.
The comments from a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy come after a joint statement was made on Friday by the US, Australia and Japan, which expressed concern over China’s large-scale military exercises in the water of the Taiwan Strait and condemned China’s ballistic missiles landing in Japan’s exclusive economic zones.
We’ll bring you more on the Chinese embassy’s statement shortly.
This morning, Australia also mourns a music legend after Judith Durham died at the age of 79.
Durham was the lead singer of Melbourne band the Seekers, with whom she achieved worldwide fame with hits like Georgy Girl and The Carnival is Over.
The Seekers were the first Australian group to reach No 1 in the UK charts with their first three singles.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to Durham as a “national treasure and an Australian icon”.
A national treasure and an Australian icon, Judith Durham gave voice to a new strand of our identity and helped blaze a trail for a new generation of Aussie artists.
Her kindness will be missed by many, the anthems she gave to our nation will never be forgotten.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) August 6, 2022
If there’s anything happening this Sunday in your corner of the world that you think should be on the blog, you can ping me on Twitter @natasha__may or email natasha.may@theguardian.com.
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