Daniel Andrews says a joint state-federal response unit is needed as 81 active coronavirus cases are linked to 53 disability facilities
• Shorten lashes out at profit-driven aged care and Morrison government over Covid failings
Sun 16 Aug 2020 07.08 EDT
First published on Sun 16 Aug 2020 04.35 EDT
The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, has called on the federal government to take a greater role in the management of Covid-19 outbreaks with the disability sector, arguing for a response similar to the unit established for aged care.
There are currently 81 active cases linked to more than 50 disability accomodation sites – the majority of which are regulated by federal authorities under the NDIS or are transitioning to commonwealth oversight – but experts and disability advocates say the crisis roiling the aged care sector shows the situation could quickly escalate.
Asked on Sunday why there was no joint state-federal response unit, as was announced by the commonwealth for aged care last month, Andrews said Victoria had been in talks with the commonwealth but an agreement had not been reached.
“My view is that would serve us well in disability services as well,” he said. “It’s something we’re going back and forth with the commonwealth on.”
Andrews said the state government had established its own state-established rapid response centre, but that a “better way would be to have a governance framework, to have a system that is exactly the same private sector aged care”.
While both aged care and disability services are federal responsibilities, the situation in disability accommodation is complicated by the ongoing transition of some services to the national disability insurance scheme (NDIS).
Andrews said on Sunday he could not say if the commonwealth had resisted requests for further involvement, directing journalists to ask the NDIS minister, Stuart Robert.
On Sunday night, Robert said: “Right now, because of the significant support from the commonwealth, an NDIS participant is four times less likely to contract Covid-19 than the Victorian general public.
“Disability settings are completely different to aged care settings and the commonwealth has ensured appropriate services can be delivered in a Covid-safe environment through successive and targeted measures announced since March.”
Of the 53 Victorian sites where there are Covid-19 cases, 35 are fully funded and regulated by the commonwealth through the NDIS, while 27 are in the process of being transferred to the scheme under existing agreements. It means about 45% of residential disability services are still regulated by the states.
Although comparisons have been made between aged care and disability accomodation, particularly the vulnerability of the residents and the casualised nature of the workforces, which sometimes overlap, disability residential settings generally cater for a fraction of the residents cared for in nursing homes.
Guardian Australia understands the Victorian disability minister, Luke Donnellan, wrote to the federal NDIS minister, Stuart Robert, on 28 July calling for a joint Victorian disability response centre modelled on the response unit for aged care. Sources said while Robert is yet to formally reply, he had declined the proposal put forward by Victoria.
This led Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services to then establish its state-led own response unit.
On Sunday night, Robert said: “Contrary to what premier Andrews said at his press conference, the Commonwealth has been actively engaged in a formal capacity with the Disability Rapid Response Group, for both commonwealth NDIS participants and Victorian government supported residential care.”
Asked earlier on Sunday to respond to suggestions he had declined the proposal, a spokesman for Robert pointed Guardian Australia to a statement issued by the minister which was published following Andrews’ public comments.
In a statement highlighting steps taken by the commonwealth, Robert said the federal government has been a formal member of Victoria’s Disability Rapid Response Group since 29 July, and that three federal officials attended.
“The [Disability Rapid Response Group] is actively monitoring and rapidly responding to any incidence of Covid-19 amongst people with a disability and service providers in Victoria,” Robert said.
“Coordination at the commonwealth level for a whole of Australia rapid identification and resolution of policy and operational issues is being led through the NDIS Critical Response Group.”
Robert also pointed to announcements last week including that a panel of four major providers have been tasked with offering workforce and other support to help small providers cope with the pandemic.
“In addition, Aspen Medical has been appointed to provide clinical first response for any identified outbreak to ensure that infection control procedures, personal protective equipment (PPE) and nursing support is in place for residents and workers if needed,” he said.
“It is my priority to ensure continuity of supports along with the health and wellbeing of NDIS participants and their support workers and I look forward to continuing to work with the Victorian government on this important issue.”
The 81 cases reported in disability settings on Sunday was a reduction of eight infections on the previous day. But the number of affected settings – 53 – has quickly increased since 7 August, when Guardian Australia revealed 31 facilities were the subject of outbreaks.
Bill Shorten, the federal Labor NDIS spokesman, said on Sunday the government should make public the number of people with disabilities who have died after being diagnosed with Covid-19.
“The UK showed that two thirds of people who died there had a disability,” he said.
Th NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission told the Guardian on 7 August that three Victorian NDIS participants and one worker have died after testing positive since March.
