Situation normal at estimates. But the DoHAC and the DSS are backing themselves into some hairy corners.
The DoHAC has painted itself into three separate corners thanks to bouts of, respectively, over-ambitious targets, bad publicity avoidance, and a touch of pride.
This week’s additional Senate estimates hearings have done what estimates always do – exposed the personal animosities between politicians; the gaps between what bureaucrats would like to do and what politicians want them to do; and the sheer comedy gold of what government agencies think it’s okay to spend public money on.
Over-ambition
Aged care, aged care, and aged care.
Whoever decided to make 1 July 2024 the moment when the new Aged Care Act would kick into gear must be feeling somewhat tense, right about now.
As we reported yesterday, the exposure draft of the Bill – missing plenty of detail – is out for public consultation until 8 March, then there’s a three-week gap until KPMG tables its consultation report (29 March), then whatever changes the report recommends have to be put into the redrafted Bill, and only then can the thing be put before Parliament.
Add to that the fact Parliament only sits for four weeks between 1 May and 30 June and you start to see why the bureaucrats – and the aged care providers out there who still don’t know many details about how they’re supposed to operate come 1 July – are sweating quietly.
Pride
Would it be such an awful thing to postpone the enactment of what should be the biggest tranche of aged care reforms in decades?
Would it be so bad to get it 100% right?
You only had to watch the face of Michael Lye, DoHAC’s deputy secretary for ageing and aged care, when answering Senator Ann Ruston’s persistent questioning about whether the 1 July deadline was realistic, to know that he would have liked nothing better than a bit more time.
But there was no joy from the minister, in this case Finance Minister Katy Gallagher.
Ms Gallagher’s ennui was palpable. At one point she did a fabulous ventriloquist impression, answering Senator Ruston’s questions while drinking from a cup of coffee.
She told the hearing the government remained committed to the 1 July enactment of the Bill, subject to further advice from the bureaucrats.
Another rapidly looming deadline is 1 March for the 8th Community Pharmacy Agreement.
Originally the deadline was 30 June 2024, but on 1 September both DoHAC and the Pharmacy Guild announced negotiations would be ramped up and the new CPA would start on 1 March.
That was all seen as payback for Health Minister Mark Butler’s driving through of the 60-day dispensing reform despite the Guild’s vociferous objections (and its $187,650 donation to the Labor Party’s coffers).
The redoubtable Penny Shakespeare, DoHAC’s deputy secretary of health resourcing played her usual straight bat when Senator Ruston knocked on the can-it-be-done door.
First time? “The negotiations are continuing, Senator.”
Second time? “The department is using its best endeavours to make that timeframe.”
Third time? “As I said, by using our best endeavours, negotiations are continuing.”
Senator Ruston asked the attending minister, this time Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health Malarndirri McCarthy, the same question.
“I just redirect what Ms Shakespeare has told you Senator. We’re on the 15th day of February. We still have time before the first of March comes round. We aim to meet that deadline.”
Second time? “It certainly remains the intention of our government for this to conclude by the first of March, Senator.”
It’s all crap, to be honest. Because, frankly, if the 1 March deadline was going to be met, Senator Ruston wouldn’t ask the question – the Guild has her ear – or if she did, the Minister and the bureaucrats would just say, “Yes. And here’s why.”
Avoiding the media
Invisibility was also a problem for both DoHAC and DSS.
Missing in action is the report from the Aged Care Taskforce, buried somewhere in a vault in the DPM and C. It would seem to be fairly crucial to how the new Act will define funding models, but nobody but the providers seems concerned about that.
The NDIS was in the estimates spotlight on Wednesday and again, the government managed to throw its public servants under the bus and shoot itself in the foot all at the same time.
Senator Jordon Steele-John pointed out that data was made available to the committee at exactly the same point last year that showed a $200 million blowout, that led to some none-too-flattering headlines in the mainstream media.
This year, at exactly the same point in the cycle, that data was not made available to Senate estimates.
“We’re 12 months on and the committee’s just asked for the contemporary figure of the cost of scheme between January and now, and the response from the agency [is] that you’re not ready at this time to give us that figure,” said Senator Steele-John.
“The states and territories have got this information, but you’re here today without that information and taking it on notice.
“Is it because when you did that last year, it resulted in a headline about a $200 million blowout, in the Sydney Morning Herald? Is that why you are not releasing that critical information?”
The answer from the agency?
“We don’t make decisions based on newspaper headlines.”
Easily the funniest answer of the week. Even better than the teddy bears.