We would be fools indeed

to believe the promises being made by the present Opposition leader. 

He has already promised "cheaper childcare". Now he is promising some remarkable standards  for aged care. He  is telling us that residents in aged care will get 215 minutes a day for help with such basics as showering, dressing and eating. He is telling us that there will always be a registered nurse on duty. He is claiming that there will be mandatory standards for "tasty and nutritious" meals to be served to residents. What is  more he is claiming that there will be strict requirements requiring those who administer these places to show how each cent is spent.

On top of all this there is a promise to increase the pay of those who work in aged care. This is what will happen "when we are elected". (Notice "when", not "if". They believe the election is in the bag - all the opinion polls seem to point that way.)

Bollocks! The Senior Cat is classed as "palliative care" and the present standard of care comes nowhere near that for him or for anyone else. His residence is smaller than most. We know the staff. They know us. One of us goes in each day. We have helped with his care. We have had to help with his care because they don't have the staff. Many of the younger staff have no idea what to do or how to do it. They often see their employment there as merely temporary while they are looking for something "better".

The reality is that not many people actually want to work in aged care. It's understandable. It isn't just the poor pay. It is the dirty work and the emotional stress. It is dealing with difficult relatives and the many demands. It is knowing that people are not going to "get better". They are going to die. 

Those who build aged care businesses are not there because they want to care for the elderly. They are there to make a profit.

The Senior Cat's residence is fortunate in that there is a kitchen on site. The food, which I have seen often, is perhaps better than most. It is better than the food which was served in more than one hall of residence in which I lived. There is a choice - the residents are asked  to nominate their choice on the previous day.  Certainly there is no evidence of residents being served "two party pies" as their main meal on a Saturday or Sunday.

But there are other problems. The Senior Cat would not get anything close to 215 minutes of care a day - and he needs more help now than any other resident.  It is never likely to happen to any other resident in the future either. 

The cost of actually providing the level of care being promised is something that simply cannot be done. There would have to be a massive increase in taxes to do this and also to provide for the promises being made with respect to childcare. This would need to happen even if all aged care facilities and all childcare facilities were run on a "not-for-profit" basis. As they are run on a for profit basis it is even less likely.

I have no idea what the answer is - at least no idea what palatable, reasonable answers might be. What I do know is that today is April Fool's Day - and we would be fools to believe what the Opposition  Leader is promising.