Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, , 2:26:05 to 2:47:29
Discussion on cultural safety, First Nations aged care needs, and the role of the First Nations Commissioner in ensuring appropriate care delivery.
Topics: First Nations, Social services
Speakers: Ms Sonja Stewart, Senator Jana Stewart, Senator Ellie Whiteaker
So there's a number of different ways that the new system seeks to do that. I think the at the very heart of it is um having uh and government has uh legislated now for an ongoing First Nations Commissioner. So I think that's really important to acknowledge the work that Andrea Kelly uh did as the interim First Nations Commissioner and know now, Jodi Cassar, because I think I start with that because that's so important around legislating uh uh independent statutory indigenous person that thinks day in, day out about um the care that First Nations people are um doing. And I think it's not only about building the First Nations sector but ensuring the cultural capability because a lot of um, as you know, mob attends services that are delivered by non-aboriginal providers, and then there's a whole range of policy and programs um throughout the age care system to ensure that Aboriginal people uh get the care that they need, once again around choice, but I do acknowledge sometimes in some of the markets that's not completely possible, um, but uh really striving to do that as well as around workforce initiatives. There's a trial on the at the moment around assessment, so um having uh indigenous uh assessment organisations for Aboriginal and Trichander people, which is such a key entry point. And I think the the final thing I would say is um, and I acknowledge your very good last name, and we must might be related along the way, but it recognises that very sadly our people um age differently and uh and uh the entry into the system is much younger for our people, and I think that's a really uh fundamental design element of our aged care system in this country.
Absolutely. Um I think there are absolutely some kind of unique um not so good and and great things about uh what it means to be a First Nations person who who ages in in this country, and then I think there are some things that are universal to all of us about wanting to um age and grow older in the places that we know and love, um, being connected to culture and community and home uh as well. I'm okay. I'm I'm getting the uh wrap-up from the chair before I move on to my next set of questions, but thank you very much, appreciate it.
Thank you. We will go to a break. You've got a couple of extra minutes, so uh you're welcome. Uh we will come back at 11:30 and continue uh with this same outcome. Thank you. Good morning.