Ms O’CONNOR – The elder abuse prevention strategy, we’ve been presented with the table and just for the purposes of people who are maybe watching, in the out-years, there’s a whole lot of gaps. I understand that’s a feature of this budget. But the elder abuse awareness campaign and the elder abuse strategy funding runs out in 2026-27. I know, Minister, you will agree that’s not because of the devastating consequences of elder abuse have been dealt with by a government or us as a broader society.
Two questions: what is the government’s current understanding of the extent of elder abuse in the community? On previous data about 10 years ago, we thought there might be 3500 to 4000 older Tasmanians who are at risk of physical financial abuse, neglect and the like. What’s the government’s current understanding of the extent of the issue, and what is the plan for funding ongoing elder abuse prevention?
Mrs ARCHER – There’s a range of services that are currently funded to address the issue. The issue that Ms Lovell referred to with Australian Law Reform report also points to that issue being persistent and actually asks for the creation of a commissioner to deal with it, which is pretty sad indictment of the situation. It’s also – as part of this prevention of elder abuse, but it’s also the importance of having a dedicated minister for Ageing, which has been a long advocated for position by advocates in this space, because we have to look at it not in isolation as well. Of course, continued funding to address the issue of elder abuse, but we need to turn that around as well, by destigmatizing AGME’s whole range of positive ageing initiatives in addition to that, but I might just ask DPAC to make some more comments about it.
Ms O’CONNOR – So, the question of the trends and the data as we understand it and then back to you if possible, Minister, just to talk through that funding question in the out-years and what process we might go to there.
Ms KELLY ‑ We don’t actually have any up‑to‑date information around the current trends and statistics, but that’s certainly something that we could work with (inaudible, 3.45.50) to bring through.
Ms O’CONNOR – I don’t want to put any more work on an already overextended segment of an agency, but anything that’s readily accessible that could help the committee understand the extent of the problem would be good and back to the Minister: funding.
Mrs ARCHER – Yes and look, all I can say is I remain committed to continue to address that, but we will also work in consultation with these agencies and through these governance groups as well, that we are establishing to look at future actions as well in relation to that, to unite that. There’s programs delivered across a range of organisations, including in cold communities as well, and I am certain that there are some other areas that we could look to in taking some further action as well.
So, no, I remain committed to addressing this very serious issue and including from the conversation with Ms Lovell, around looking at these recommendations through the Attorney‑General’s department, around whether or not there’s more that can be done in terms of having a commissioner for older persons or something of that like as well.
Ms O’CONNOR – Or, potentially, legislative change, there are jurisdictions that have a specific crime in their statutes of elder abuse, which certainly points to governments taking it seriously.
Mrs ARCHER – And I think that one of the challenges that we have identified is making sure that people in our community, across a whole range of areas, are able to recognise where elder abuse might be occurring and recognising that it occurs in a range of different ways, as well, whether that’s financial abuse, physical ‑ there’s a whole range of things that would fall under that category. So, it’s about people being able to recognise that so that they can also intervene.
Ms O’CONNOR – I mean, even though there’s no funding in the out-years, it is clearly not government’s intention to stop contributing towards Seniors Week, is it?
Mrs ARCHER – No.
Ms O’CONNOR – Thanks, Chair.
