JULIE COLLINS MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR AGEING AND SENIORS
SHADOW MINISTER FOR WOMEN
MEMBER FOR FRANKLIN

GED KEARNEY MP
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR SKILLS
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR AGED CARE
MEMBER FOR COOPER

On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) Labor reaffirms our commitment to the rights of older people to live with dignity, free from all forms of abuse.

The World Health Organisation has reported prevalence rates of elder abuse of up to 10 per cent of older people.

Devastatingly, elder abuse appears to continue to be primarily perpetrated by family members. As a society we must do everything we can to protect older Australians.

Labor acknowledges the Government is continuing to progress its response to the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) report into elder abuse which must be a priority.

Ensuring that older Australians are protected and are given the opportunity to live dignified, good lives is too important to treat as a partisan issue.

Labor will continue to work with the Government on implementing the ALRC recommendations and is committed to combatting elder abuse in all its forms.

But we will not shy away from holding the Government accountable to the commitments it has made to respond comprehensively to the ALRC’s work.

In the context of an ageing population in Australia, a failure to tackle elder abuse will have a devastating impact on the future of our country.

The mistreatment of older Australians is simply not acceptable and Labor stands ready to work with governments at all levels to stamp out elder abuse.