COTA defends Aged Care Minister – “He’s been a fearsome advocate within government for the sector and not always fully appreciated”

Council of the Ageing (COTA) chief Ian Yates leapt to the defense of Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck in an appearance on Sky News yesterday. Mr Yates said Senator Colbeck has been “all over” the government’s response and said the sector had been in “meeting after meeting with the minister.” “He’s across the detail of what’s happening. He’s been a fearsome advocate within the government for the sector,” he added. Mr Yates said while Senator Colbeck was right to apologise for not having the numbers immediately at hand, “the focus has to be on making sure we don’t get the kind of outbreaks we have seen in Victoria… in other states.” Mr Yates said there remains major structural issues that make the sector weaker than it should be, but the critical focus should be on bringing community transmission down. “If there’s not COVID on the street, it won’t be in a nursing home,” he said.