Federal Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten believes the faultlines seen in aged care during the coronavirus pandemic stem from centres trying to make a profit, while caring for older people is not cheap.
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Last week Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologised for failings in the aged care sector during the pandemic after a royal commission heard there was still no plan to cope with the crisis.
But federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said every day the government is bringing in more resources to provide additional support to these facilities.
"Our task is to support Victoria fighting that outbreak and to support the facilities," he told Sky News' Sunday Agenda program.
"There hasn't been a day or a moment where we haven't been fighting to provide resources."
Of the national toll from the virus of 379, over 200 deaths are linked to the aged care sector.
Mr Shorten, the opposition spokesman for government services and former Labor leader, said if you want to make a profit from aged care and you want to look after people, you create faultlines in the system.
"We need to put people before profit," Mr Shorten told ABC television's Insiders program on Sunday.
"If you can make a profit, that's good. But the problem ... we're seeing profit being made, but people not getting looked after."
He said the system relies on the workforce being paid "crap", having to work at multiple centres, and casuals having to take up the load.
Australian Associated Press
