During question time in both the Senate and the House of Representatives on Tuesday, federal Labor launched a scathing attack against Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck, calling for his resignation after revelations more than 500 older Australians in care had died since the start of the year.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said from February 7 587 people had died from COVID-19 in aged care facilities.

In a heated address to the Senate, Senator Gallagher said the government was not taking accountability for failures in preventing outbreaks within aged care, with the minister in question more interested in attending the cricket than the COVID-19 inquiry in January.

"The Senate must stand up and speak on behalf of all of the voices of people in aged care and the loved ones who are contacting my office incredibly upset that they weren't able to be with their loved ones when they were passing away when they were locked out," she said.

"When they hear down the phone, their loved one telling them that they haven't been showered and haven't eaten any food. That's the anger out there about aged care.

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"These are older Australians in their most vulnerable moment and this government pretends that they've done everything they can and it's just a pandemic and Omicron came. Well, it's not good enough."

Senator Richard Colbeck dismissed the allegation of his incompetency, saying Labor was playing "dirty, nasty, personal politics".

Senator Colbeck acknowledged there were supply chain and disruption issues occurring within the aged care sector.

He then tried to deflect the opposition's claims by bringing up the pink bats scandal under the Rudd government.

"We have a deadly virus. People will contract it throughout the community and tragically ... some of them will die," he said.

"Why would you trust a mob that could safely insulate your ceiling to run the response to a pandemic."

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese in the house also led calls for Senator Colbeck's sacking, with the Prime Minister acknowledging there were serious issues facing the aged sector which has prompted support from the defence force.

Senator Gallagher also claimed the federal government is refusing to acknowledge a crisis within the sector.

"Everyone is saying it's a crisis," she said.

"The workers in the sector the families who have loved ones, individual residents who say they've never seen the quality of care so poor as what they are experiencing right now."