Incorporate virus safeguards for Aged Care and Retirement Centres in the design and operation phase

Eligibility - Queensland residents
Principal Petitioner:
Gary Duffy
47 Blackall Street
EAST IPSWICH QLD 4305
Total Signatures - 491
Sponsoring Member: The Clerk of the Parliament
Posting Date: 24/8/2020
Closing Date: 7/9/2020
Tabled Date: 8/9/2020
Responded By: Hon Yvette D'Ath MP on 8/12/2020
TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland

Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House that a large majority of deaths from the Virus COVID-19 were in aged care. It is noted that most of these facilities house people in close proximity to each other and often have shared facilities as well as concerns with staffing levels and training in best practices during pandemics.

The current mass failings of these centres to be a safe haven from virus pandemics has highlighted that the majority of the deaths occur due to poor design, shared bathrooms, shared ventilation, staffing ratios and staff training etc., and very little thought has gone into these centres being designed to prevent or limit the spread of any virus or future virus pandemics.

Professor Joseph Ibrahim, head of the Health Law and Ageing Research Unit at Monash University told ABC Radio Melbourne,"the aged care sector was not prepared to manage any crisis, and there were problems with operations that prioritised free-market principles and lacked accountability".

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to call on the Government and the Queensland Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and the Department of Health to properly legislate for Aged Care and Seniors providers to design accommodation to a standard, and ensure that staffing levels and training is capable of offering greater health protection and care during virus pandemics.