The CEO of a New South Wales retirement village has called on the federal health minister and a local MP to explain to key aged care workers – a laundry supervisor, a cleaner, a grounds manager, a caterer, a maintenance officer, and a receptionist – why they are not entitled to the Aged Care Workers Retention Bonus.
The payment designed to support the workforce actually “divides” the workforce, wrote Shane Neaves, chief executive officer, Peninsula Villages, in a letter to aged care minister Richard Colbeck and Lucy Wicks MP, Member for Robertson.
“I openly invite you Senator and our local member to address the ‘non-direct care’ workers who have risked their own personal safety to work in the aged care sector and provide important interaction with our residents as to why they aren’t being rewarded.
Mr Neaves said the omission of these key staff from the payments was “shameful” and “just plain mean”.
A letter from the Department of Health in response fails to acknowledge the important contributions of these workers.
“The COVID-19 aged care retention bonus is a measure focused on the retention of direct care workers, recognising the particular role they play in the care of individuals,” Mr Colbeck wrote.
We have published the two letters below.
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Where the money goes “…Healthcare for All?—[our $270B Defence budget]. Were [we] challenged by the but how will you pay for it question? No. Did taxpayers’ rates go up to pay for this military budget? No. Were other programs cut to fund this exorbitant investment in violence? No. That is not how it works….” https://americanethnologist.org/features/pandemic-diaries/post-covid-fantasies/reparative-public-goods-and-the-future-of-finance-a-fantasy-in-three-parts