AGED CARE SECTOR COMMITTEE MUST HAVE CALD REPRESENTATION

20 March 2014

Shadow Minister for Ageing, Shayne Neumann and Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multiculturalism, Michelle Rowland have called on the Abbott Government to appoint representatives from the CALD community to the Aged Care Sector Committee.

Whilst the Opposition welcomes the convening of the Aged Care Sector Committee, the CALD community must have a voice at the table. 

“It not good enough for the Aged Care Sector Committee to not have representatives from CALD backgrounds,” Mr Neumann said.

“Around 20 per cent of people aged over 65 years were born outside Australia and by 2021 that number will rise to 30 per cent.”

“Older people from CALD backgrounds often have different cultural, linguistic and spiritual needs which can affect the type of care and services they want and need and that’s why they need representation on the Aged Care Sector Committee,” Ms Rowland said.

“The Government must listen to the calls from the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Council (FECCA), the National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) and the Opposition and appoint representatives from the CALD community to this Committee.”

This is in stark contrast to the consultative approach of Labor in Government who worked with the CALD community to formulate its Living Longer Living Better aged-care reform package.

THURSDAY, 20 MARCH 2014