Labor MPs Stephen Jones and Sharon Bird have slammed the federal government's bonus cash payments for aged care workers.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Jones was joined by Warrigal residential carers and Warrigal CEO Mark Sewell in Albion Park on Wednesday.
He called on the government to do more for workers and residents.
"Short-term cash doesn't solve the long-term crisis in the aged care sector in the Illawarra and Southern Highlands," Mr Jones said.
"Our elderly are dying alone.
"There's not enough nursing home staff to care for them, and there's not enough RAT tests for their families safely visit to be at their side.
"This is a national outrage."
The plan to gift aged care workers two lots of $400 cash bonuses was announced on Monday.
Those eligible include aged care workers in government subsidised home care and aged care workers providing direct care, food or cleaning services in government subsidised residential care.
It will be paid pro rata on the hours worked, with the first payment to be made in February and the second in May.
Despite the timing of the aged care worker payments, the government has insisted they were not pre-election sweeteners for the sector.
Mr Jones said a pay rise for staff, Job Keeper payments for casuals and more RAT tests for visitors would be a better choice.
"Prime Minister Scott Morrison expects a sudden cash splash to make it all go away before the election," he said.
"Workers know his one-off payments aren't designed to stem the tide of experienced professionals leaving the jobs they love because they can't make ends meet."
Residents in Illawarra aged care centres have told the Mercury they feared dying alone while in COVID-19 isolation due to a lack of staff.
"I went for 16 hours one day where no-one checked on me; I could have been dead," one resident said.
"The workers do the best they can, but they're understaffed."
As aged care staff struggle to deal with rising cases of COVID-19 in residential facilities, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese accused the government of neglecting staff.
Mr Albanese said he supported making a case to the Fair Work Commission to increase the rates of pay for aged care staff.
"The problem here is this (bonus) is a cash payment in the lead up to an election with no sustainable increase in their pay," Mr Albanese told reporters.
"Why is the government not providing support for aged care workers on a permanent basis?"
The Illawarra Mercury newsroom is funded by our readers. You can subscribe to support our journalism here.
