Australian Government fails to properly protect aged care residents
On the eve of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the Public Advocate has expressed frustration that aged care residents are still subject to institutional elder abuse due to the Australian Government’s inaction to properly regulate the use of restrictive practices.
Older Australians are at risk of serious harm because the use of restrictive practices in residential aged care is not regulated in Australia. The Public Advocate released a paper that explores the law about the use of restrictive practices in residential aged care
Call for greater transparency in the Queensland mental health system
The Public Advocate has urged the state government to look into the practices of the Mental Health Review Tribunal and the broader Queensland mental health system to better protect involuntary mental health patients.
People with complex and challenging support needs are not receiving adequate supports under the NDIS. A new report by Victoria's Public Advocate examines people's experiences and makes recommendations for urgent reform.
The Department of Premier and Cabinet is developing an implementation plan to address the issues raised in Public Advocate’s Upholding the right to life and health: A review of the deaths in care of people with disability in Queensland report.
The Public Advocate is an independent statutory role established to undertake systems advocacy to protect and promote the rights, autonomy and participation of people with impaired decision-making capacity. Systems advocacy focuses on influencing and changing systems, including legislative, policy and practice aspects of systems. We do this to achieve long-term change to improve the lives and opportunities of people with impaired decision-making capacity. Read more.
Mary Burgess is the Public Advocate for Queensland.
Our systems advocacy work is focussed on positively influencing and changing systems.