Candidate: Anita Dow Electorate: Braddon Party: Tasmanian Labor Party

Transcription

1 Candidate: Anita Dow Electorate: Braddon Party: Tasmanian Labor Party Q: Tasmania has recently experienced a number of influenza related deaths in aged care facilities. What is your view in relation to compulsory flu vaccinations (except where there is a valid medical reason not to) for all aged care residents and staff, and introducing appropriate controls relating to visitors where there is a health risk? Do you support priority funding for such an initiative? Tasmanian Labor will support a one year trial of free influenza vaccinations for all children and adults not eligible for the Federal program. We will also work with GPs to ensure the vaccine is stocked at surgeries to remove the additional barrier of patients needing to go to a pharmacy and then taking the vaccine back to a general practice. The trial will be evaluated for effectiveness before continuing in Q: As Tasmanians age, they tend to take a mix of medications that may interact and result in less than optimal health outcomes for the individual. This may also incur high costs for both the individual and government, such as through additional visits to doctors and hospitals. Would you support funding for a statewide peer education program to raise awareness among older Tasmanians of :a) the safe use of medicines; b) the changing effects of medication as you get older; c) the importance of medication reviews; d) free services available through pharmacies; and e) opportunities for open discussions with GPs about their medications? I am familiar with the Federal initiative "home medicines review program" and it's effectiveness. Labor will proudly fund preventative health initiatives and programs that keep people out of hospital. Labor has proposed the establishment of the Healthy Communities Commission, charged with identifying programs and opportunities to promote health and wellbeing in the community. Wellness promotion, illness prevention and chronic disease management are essential in health promotion and management. The Commission will be informed by a board including nongovernment organisations and will fund programs to improve the health of the community. A peer education program could be considered by the Healthy Communities Commission. Q: Falls are a major and preventable contributor to reduced physical activity and earlier death for older Tasmanians. Falls also result in higher health costs for the community. Would you support the provision of funding for programs, to be delivered by appropriate fitness studios that focus on building muscle strength, reducing falls risk and maintaining mobility for older Tasmanians? Funding for a fitness and falls prevention programs could also be considered as part of the Healthy Communities Commission. Q: Eating well is critical for older Tasmanians. A well-structured, age-appropriate diet is a strong contributor to good physical and mental health. The provision of nutritional advice and assistance in recipe planning and identifying appropriate seasonally based shopping strategies can considerably improve well-being at a low cost. Would you support funding for Councils and/or community organisations to trial a healthy eating program in a selected range of local communities across the State, particularly those that are identified as currently having poorer access to a range of quality food ingredients?

2 Eating well is critical for older Tasmanians. Labor has committed to a Food Security Grants program to ensure that Tasmanians are able to access affordable nutritious food. We recognise that socially isolated Tasmanians often have poor access to nutritious food. Q: Older Tasmanians are at risk of becoming isolated and suffering the mental health impacts of such isolation. Do you support the provision of improved mental health resources within our local communities through the creation of central health hubs that focus on an holistic approach to individual care delivered by a range of relevant health professionals? I support the provision of improved mental health resources in our local communities. No Tasmanian should ever feel isolated and alone. Labor supports initiatives that decrease the social isolation of Tasmanians. Labor s Putting Patients First A Better Health System policy includes comprehensive mental health policies. This includes increasing funding and support for people living in regional Tasmania. Labor is committed to better supporting the carers of people living with impaired mental health. A Labor Government will work with Mental Health Carers Tasmania to deliver two new projects in Tasmania; working with organisations to increase carer inclusiveness, and engaging with and supporting hidden carers in the community those who don t recognise that they are carers. Q: Increasingly, information is being provided by Government, businesses and community organisations via the internet and on mobile platforms. It is recognised that many older Tasmanians are digitally excluded in terms of access, affordability and digital skill. Would you support funding to extend both formal and informal programs aimed at improving the skills of older Tasmanians to access and utilise digital technologies? Tasmania has the greatest digital divide in the country. Lack of access to digital technologies and the internet can create social isolation and significantly impact on many Tasmanian s ability to access government and community services. Labor is committed to keeping Online Access Centres open to enable all members of the community to learn how to use and navigate the internet. Labor knows that many Tasmanians have not been able to afford to connect to the internet. Labor will use the purchasing power of the next whole of government communications contract to include initiatives to improve internet access for low income Tasmanians. Australia s national telecommunications companies formally recognise there is a barrier and have offered to work together to solve the problem. Q: Diversity has been an ongoing strength for the Australian community. A key part of this diversity has been the intergenerational transfer of learnings and cultural understandings. COTA believes that bringing generations together, formally and informally, can deliver positive social outcomes for all. What would be your view on funding a series of trials across Tasmania that aim to improve cultural awareness and learnings between the generations, using a trained facilitator? Would you support the development of resources to facilitate such a program? Labor would be pleased to further explore this proposal with COTA. The design of the program and measureable outcomes could be considered in future budget rounds. Q: Improved literacy and numeracy skills are critical for engaging in the rapidly changing modern world. Older Tasmanians are frequently being left behind as the world is changing around them. The 26TEN program already supports the improvement of Tasmanian literacy and numeracy levels, but more needs to be done. Would you support increased funding to 26TEN so it can engage more widely

3 with older Tasmanians and link them to this program and other support services? Would you support creating more opportunities for older Tasmanians to become 26TEN volunteers so they can share their journey with others? Would you support increased resources for vocational training to allow older Tasmanians to better prepare themselves for the workforce challenges they face? Labor set up the nationally recognised 26TEN - a network of organisations and individuals working together to raise awareness and improve adult literacy in Tasmania. We are committed to ensuring that there are opportunities for older Tasmanians to volunteer across a range of areas including the important 26TEN program. Future funding for 26TEN will be considered in future budget rounds. Q: Many older Tasmanians report age discrimination when seeking either employment or employment advancement. Do you support priority being given to the creation of recruitment and retention policies within the Government and Parliament to ensure that older workers are not discriminated against? Labor does not condone discrimination against workers for any reason including age. Labor wants the State Service to be an inclusive workplace with a diversity of employees. Labor will develop a long-term plan for the State Service, investing in stable, secure, ongoing employment opportunities, and putting a stop to the ongoing casualisation of our State Service. Q: Tasmania s workers compensation scheme imposes additional requirements upon older workers, where they have an open ended entitlement to work and are not subject to any compulsory retirement provisions. Would you support the removal of the age discriminatory elements of the current Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act so that the workers compensation entitlements for all workers match their entitlement to work and are not arbitrarily constrained by legislation once they reach a certain age? Labor has committed to reviewing the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act to ensure that it is contemporary, reflective of the current work environment Tasmanians are working for longer and is easier to understand for workers and employers. Q: Transport is a critical issue for communities across Tasmania, particularly among older Tasmanians. Access to required transport services is very important, particularly in meeting the last mile needs of those who are distant from an existing service or have mobility issues. Will you give priority to implementing changes to transport services that focus on those within our community who suffer most from transport disadvantage to ensure they can more effectively engage in their communities? Labor s long term passenger transport strategy includes; - The establishment of a Passenger Transport Corporation responsible for increasing passengers on public transport by 50 per cent. - Integrated ticketing to give passengers single ticket travel through a modernised Greencard. Our transport plan includes providing more frequent service between our cities and major population centres. Labor has committed to the Northern Suburbs Light Rail project and to investigate alternative transport like ferries to ensure that travel is as easy and connected as possible for passengers. Displaying real time information at interchanges. Labor will also invest in a two year trial of daily free transport service from the West Coast to the North West Regional, Mersey and Launceston General Hospitals to enable greater support and access to services for the people of the West Coast.

4 Q: Volunteers provide many important services for older Tasmanians. In turn, many older Tasmanians also volunteer. Without the efforts of volunteers, many services that communities across Tasmania take for granted would not exist, or if required by Government, would require significantly greater funding than is currently provided. Will you be a champion for volunteering? Will you ensure that organisations that support volunteering efforts receive a funding stream that is appropriately indexed so they are able to effectively provide services to the wider community? Labor has always been a strong supporter of volunteering. We recognise that many of our services could simply not be provided without the help of our volunteers. Labor has committed to providing peak body indexation funding for the peak organisations like Council on the Ageing and Volunteering Tasmania to ensure that they are able to continue to do the important work they do without being disadvantaged. The Terms of Reference for the 8 Industry Advisory Councils draws attention to the volunteer sector, to challenge business and industry to provide more support and opportunities for volunteers in the community. Q: Elder abuse takes many different forms ranging from physical and psychological harm through to taking financial advantage (including via targeted on-line fraud) of older Tasmanians. The recent Australian Law Reform Commission into protecting the rights of older Australians from abuse [ provides an opportunity for significant action. Do you support legislating the findings of the Australian Law Reform Commission into protecting the rights of older Australians from abuse, after a period of public consultation and discussion of these important recommendations? Do you support updating of the Tasmanian Government s Elder Abuse Prevention Strategy that expires in 2018? A Labor Government would advocate for the development of a National Plan to combat elder abuse. We will request the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute to develop a nationally consistent framework for preventing elder abuse. Q: Will you support significantly widening the provision of information relating to safe on-line engagement and scams, including train-the-trainer programs, to allow greater volunteer engagement in this area? Will you support increasing resources for relevant agencies to investigate and, where possible, prosecute, on-line scammers? Responsibility for identifying and prosecuting cybercrime lies with Tasmania police. Labor will commit additional resources to Tasmania Police, which will allow them to better address areas of demand like cybercrime. Labor supports ongoing programs through Consumer Affairs to raise awareness of online scams. Q: Many older Tasmanians rely on low, fixed incomes. They do not have the expenditure flexibility of the average household and their exposure to a wide range of essential expenditures (power, gas, water, transport, rates, insurances, rent, healthcare etc.) are largely unavoidable, even when attempts are made to minimise consumption. Government concessions and support payments, where they are indexed, tend to be indexed by the CPI. However, the effective CPI for older, lower income households tends to be much higher given the dominance of the above expenditures within expenditure patterns. Will you support the development of indexing arrangements for eligible older persons that better reflect the actual rate of price increase they face? Such an indexation arrangement would necessarily have the CPI as the minimum rate of indexation.

5 Labor is committed to addressing the cost of living through a range of policies. We will allow all Tasmanians to pay bills such as power, registration and licenses in monthly instalments without penalty. Labor will provide energy efficiency and heating upgrades for public housing tenants. We will ensure that all new public houses built include solar and battery storage in order to reduce energy bills. Q: The wage gap and irregular work patterns experienced by women as they raise a family and take on other caring responsibilities leaves them particularly vulnerable to financial insecurity. Will you support the introduction of a trial across Tasmanian regions that aims to assist women to be better financially prepared for later life, and identify strategies they can adopt at various stages during their life to be more financially secure? I do not believe that women should be financially disadvantaged in retirement. Labor is committed to working with women around the state to ensure that they are able to develop strategies to be more financially secure. Labor s Status of Women Platform recognises that older women are one of the fastest growing groups growing in poverty and we have committed to address inequity through developing alternative retirement plans for women. Q: With rapid increases in house prices, more older Tasmanians are experiencing housing stress. Will you support the investigation and implementation of improved housing arrangements for vulnerable older Tasmanians? Will you support innovative models of housing for older Tasmanians that improve the ability for them to live independently for longer? Will you seek the implementation of improved rent assistance schemes for eligible older Tasmanians? As older Tasmanians seek to right-size their living arrangements, will you support rebates for all State taxes applied when moving residences, together with assistance to qualifying older Tasmanians for their legal and agent costs, where the new residence is of a smaller land and/or floor area? Labor has committed to a comprehensive range of policies to better house Tasmanians in our Homes for Tasmanians policy. Labor has committed to a long term lease program to incentivise land lords to provide long term leases to renters over 55 in the first instance. We have committed to develop three new multi-residential developments which embrace environmental sustainability and reduces cost of living for tenants through solar hot water systems, energy efficient heating, cooling and lighting and substantial insulation. Labor wants these developments to cater for Tasmanians at risk of homelessness including people over 55. Labor has also committed to building 75 new homes for older Tasmanians in regional areas of greatest need to ensure that particularly people over 55 are able to live close to their friends and family. We have concern about the unintended consequences of providing stamp duty relief for older Tasmanians to downsize their homes. A one off stamp duty concession could result in a pensioner losing their concession card, which would result in higher costs in the long run. Q: We all eventually die. It is important we all have the option of a dignified death in a safe and secure environment. End of life planning is critical to permitting a dignified death. Do you support improving existing legislation relating to wills, powers of attorney, advanced care directives and other relevant end of life documents, including the creation of a register of such documents so that relevant professionals involved in the care and support of older Tasmanians have access to the express intentions of their clients? Do you support extending the provision of palliative care facilities across Tasmania to ensure that loved ones can readily support those undergoing palliative care? Do you support older Tasmanians, under closely sanctioned guidelines and appropriate medical and psychological advice, being able to have

6 control over their own death where palliative care is proving ineffective in relieving pain and suffering? I have worked in palliative care over many years and fully understand the importance of end of life planning. Labor wants to empower Tasmanians to make choices about their end of life care, including palliative care and voluntary assisted dying. Labor believes it is important that governments provide quality palliative care services in the community. A Labor Government will provide funding to support 1000 Tasmanians a year to die at home with support from community nursing services. Labor is also aware of the challenge many families face when dealing with the Guardianship and Administration Board when they are grieving. Labor will fund a Liaison Worker to work with families navigating the Guardianship and Administration Board and to educate relevant service providers. You can find more information at: content/uploads/2018/02/putting-patients-first-a-better-health-system-for-tasmania-action- Plan.pdf The Tasmanian Labor Party supports Tasmanian s choice to die with dignity. In 2017 a Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill which was co-sponsored by Shadow Attorney General Lara Giddings MP was introduced into the Parliament. While this bill was defeated Labor supports Tasmanian s to have a choice about their end of life options. Q: Tasmania s anti-discrimination legislation contains specific provisions that exempt other pieces of State legislation from operation where that legislation specifically permits discrimination (section 24). The Anti-Discrimination Act 1988 also includes specific reference to areas that are exempt from the operation of the Act. Would you support the amendment of section 24 to remove the ability of the State Government to apply age discriminatory provisions within legislation. This will ensure that ANY exemptions from the Act relating to age would be specifically detailed under Division 3 of Part 5 of the Act as an extension to the existing list. Labor is not considering and changes to the Anti-Discrimination Act Q: Do you support on-going indexed funding for COTA Tasmania, as the peak body within Tasmania representing older people, to deliver its critical programs, maintain an advocacy role and work with Government to implement the Government s priorities for older Tasmanians? Labor has committed to providing indexation to peak bodies that are funded through the Department of Premier and Cabinet including COTA to enable them to continue their important role in program development and delivery and advocacy for the Tasmanian community. Q: Are there any other issues affecting older Tasmanians that you think the next Tasmanian Government should address as a priority, which have not be raised above? I believe this survey has covered off the key issues affecting older Tasmanians. Q: Can you please highlight the top 6 issues, based on your responses to the above questions, which an incoming Government should address to ensure the ongoing well-being of older Tasmanians and support them to contribute effectively to Tasmania. Health Health promotion and chronic disease management. Housing Transport

7 Employment Supporting volunteers.