From the politicians

The Albanese government continues the practice of the previous government in appointing two Ministers with responsibilities
relating to aged care. It also retains the quirk of joining the Sport portfolio with Aged Care. The new appointees are Mark Butler from South Australia and Anika Wells from Queensland. There is also an Assistant Minister, Ged Kearney from Victoria.

Mark Butler is part of ‘the class of 2007’, first entering parliament with the election of the Rudd Government. He represents the electorate of Hindmarsh (SA). He was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary (Assistant Minister) for Health in 2009. In September 2010, Prime Minister Julia Gillard appointed him as Minister for Mental Health and Ageing.

During his time as Minister, the Productivity Commission’s report Caring for Older Australians was released in 2011. The inquiry was established by Labor in 2010. This was a relatively conservative report which did not deliver any of the reforms now considered essential for a major improvement in the quality of care. To that extent it can be seen as a failure.

The Minister back in 2008

[as union secretary]“I got to work with some of the hardest working but most poorly rewarded members of our community: cleaners … … workers in aged care … If there is only one thing I could do in my time in this place it would be to get a better deal for low paid workers in Australia”

Mark butler, Extract from first speech to Parliament, 18 February 2008.

Thirteen years later in 2021 it was unions who initiated a work value wage case for aged care workers before the Fair Work commission.

Productivity Commission cop out

“.. The Commission considers… the imposition of a simple staff ratio is a relatively blunt instrument, particularly given that the care resident profile of every facility will be forever changing (sic). Further,… the existing quality accreditation process (supported by the complaints handling process) provides a mechanism for encouraging providers to apply an appropriate skills mix and staffing level…”

Productivity Commission
Caring for Older Australians,
volume 2, 28 June 2011, page 370.

Anika Wells first entered parliament following the 2019 election and represents the Queensland electorate of Lilley. This is her first Ministerial appointment.

In an interview with the Financial Review she said she worked in aged care when she was a university student although the did not say in what capacity. She also said her mother worked in aged care for ten years (Financial Review, 2 June 2022).

Anika Wells holds Law and Arts degrees from Griffith University and prior to entering parliament she worked as a lawyer at Maurice Blackburn.