While the Morrison government is wracked by internal matters including explosive allegations against Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Labor Leader Anthony Albanese is getting on the front foot, unveiling another plank of the ALP's $2.5 billion aged care package, this time addressing rorting of home care fees.
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Just days out from Mr Morrison calling the election, the opposition's new policy is another integrity measure which comes just days after the Morrison government accused Labor of ignoring home care in its budget reply centrepiece.
If elected, a Labor government has pledged to "stop the rorting of home care fees" by placing a cap on how much users can be charged in administration and management fees, as well as requiring monthly reporting directly to users on where their money is going.
"Labor will restore integrity and transparency to our aged care system." Mr Albanese said in a statement. "Whether you are in residential care or home care, Australians should have confidence the money they are paying is going where it should - towards their care."
"Labor is calling time on aged care providers who rip off vulnerable Australians."
Labor cites Grattan Institute research showing about 25 per cent of home care fees are taken up by administration and management fees, while the Aged Care Royal Commission heard it was up to 50 per cent.
Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck accused Labor of "completely ignoring" home care in its aged care "fix" which was announced on Thursday night. The government has also criticised Labor for not providing enough detail, particularly on funding, but Mr Morrison said "I think we're trying to achieve the same things."
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A five point plan for aged care was announced last week, including a pledge for 24/7 registered nursing care, while a sixth pledge was announced on Sunday with an election promise to introduce new penalties, including jail time, for dodgy residential aged care providers.
"Labor will ensure the whole aged care system - residential and home care - improves on our watch," Labor's aged care services spokeswoman Clare O'Neil said.
But as time runs out to call the election which must be held by at least May 21, the Prime Minister's character remains under siege. Social Services Minster Anne Ruston has described Mr Morrison as experiencing a "calculated and targeted political hit job on the eve of the election."
He has spent the past two days rejecting claims he used an opponent's Lebanese background as an issue in the preselection battle for his Sydney seat 15 years ago, calling them "malicious and bitter slurs" and saying "you've got to look at their motivations."
Statutory declarations have resurfaced alleging Mr Morrison challenged support for Michael Towke based on his race and spread rumours that he was a Muslim.
Mr Towke initially - and resoundingly - won the preselection but was later dumped by the party's state executive after a torrid "dirt file" campaign against him. He has emerged on Sunday in Nine newspapers to back the account in the statutory declarations that Mr Morrison had told preselectors in 2007 "a candidate of Lebanese heritage could not hold the seat of Cook, especially after the Cronulla riots" and there was a "strong rumour" that Towke was a Muslim.
"It's just simply untrue. And these are quite malicious and bitter slurs which are deeply offensive, and I reject them out absolutely," the Prime Minister told reporters.
Asked if he would be willing to back up his words with his own signed statutory declarations, he indicated both yes and no.
"Yes, of course I would," he told reporters. "No one is asking for one and I'm not going to court over these matters. I'm not bringing any actions. I stand by exactly what I've said here in the public domain."
The Liberal senator who sensationally raised under parliamentary privilege the old complaints and some new adverse character assessments including that Mr Morrison was "unfit to be Prime Minister" now says she will not be standing as a candidate for election in 2022 after being relegated to an unwinnable position.