Carer Recognition Bill 2022

Ms WEBB (Nelson) – It is such a pleasure and a privilege to stand and speak today in support of the Carer Recognition Bill.  It has been incredibly valuable to hear contributions from other members on the bill, all being heartfelt and genuine.  They have included some reflections that I feel particularly privileged to have been able to hear and share.

This is important and significant legislation.  It is long overdue, as we have heard.  I thank the minister and Communities Tasmania staff for their work in bringing forward this legislation.  I particularly thank those advocates in the community and the leadership from Carers Tasmania for their ongoing advocacy to see this formal legislative recognition for carers finally come to fruition.

I know that David, Julie and others who contribute to the work of Carers Tasmania have all been tireless in this and have gone above and beyond to support our Tasmanian carers and ensure that their voices are heard.  They have provided input to the shaping of this legislation and the associated policy decisions and policy making that goes around it and feeds into things such as the action plan.

I note the significant role that carers playing our society and others have gone into some detail regarding the data in relation to that.  We know that Tasmania does have quite a high ratio – the highest in the nation – of carers within our community.  They are people who do not necessarily get out there and wave flags around and have bells and whistles attached.  They are people who are quietly, selflessly and lovingly going about their business, taking care of their loved ones, performing what we would think of as unsung work.  It is work that is of benefit to our families and our communities and means that we are better off as a state.

I note the significant role that carers do play and often it is such a dual role alongside all the other elements to their lives and to the contributions that they are making to the community.  This legislation is symbolic in nature, in a sense, but symbols are important.  Formal recognition is important and it is from that that other kinds of tangible support and action can flow and can be given a greater imperative, which I think is particularly important.

As others have mentioned, while we will be the last state to have a standalone piece of legislation recognising carers in this way, I would hope that this would be a pivot point for our state.  As has been mentioned and suggested by others, this would be a moment for us to take the opportunity to move into a leadership role nationally and look to some items where we can actually stride out and take leadership, rather than be the one that lags behind.  I know some other members have made suggestions on what some of those priorities might be.

I believe that the charter that is formalising this bill and developed in consultation with carers here in Tasmania is a really positive and vital step forward.  I know too that there is a significance to the change that I believe has occurred, where previously we had a carers issues reference group in place that has help inform and shape things like the action plan and things like this legislation, there has now been an elevation of that group, if you like, to now being the Minister’s Carer Advisory Council.  That is really appropriate and pleasing to see. 

If you will, it is a name change, but it is an important name change.  Again, symbols can be important.  It recognises that being called the Minister’s Carer Advisory Council elevates that group and the importance they hold as a voice for the community, and carers in the community in particular, to feed in directly to the minister when it comes to policy development and tangible plans going forward.  That is a pleasing improvement and development to note.

I note that in the act that we are looking at, there is a review period built in, in five years time.  That is really important.  We know that these things need to be kept up to date.  We know we need to check in and see whether something has functioned the way we hoped it would and if there is a requirement to provide some updating or some adjustment or some additional work.  I also note that there is a federal Carer Recognition Act.  Maybe that is also in need of review.  I am not sure if there is a built-in review to that.  It is, I believe, more than a decade old.  Perhaps there is some advocacy there, if there is not an automatic review period, for a review to occur.  Now that every other state and territory – Tasmania being the last – have introduced their own legislation, perhaps that could feed well through to a renewal or review of the federal Carer Recognition Act.

I note that the Senate select committee on work and care has provided additional insight in supporting carers, particularly those engaged in the workforce.  Others have mentioned some of these figures here, I will not go into detail, noting they are already on the record.  However, the thing that did strike me was the work from that committee which noted that, on average, Australian carers will lose close to $400 000 in lifetime earnings at the age of 67.  That is also $175 000 in super by that age.  That is a striking figure of the price that is paid in dollar terms.  We know there are other prices paid and other costs to being a carer alongside the love and support that is being provided.  It is not insignificant.  It has a tangible impact to have those lifetime earnings and the superannuation available being so depleted. 

Others have mentioned but I will touch briefly on the fact that there is also a gender element to that, with figures coming out of that Senate committee showing that a gender gap of more than 52 per cent of superannuation exists in carers at retirement age.  Male carers average approximately close to $300 000 in their super at retirement, whereas female care givers average about $138 000; that is a significant difference.  We know that that is reflective of other gendered impacts when it comes to earnings and to superannuation, but since carers do have that gendered differential, it is important for us to understand the financial fallout of that.  Three in four primary carers being women. 

I would be quite interested to hear from the Government, noting that the Carer Action Plan is to be updated in 2024, tips over into a new iteration in 2024, how the Government is going to look to more specifically address issues relevant to female and gender diverse individuals who are carers.  Maybe, even some details about how carers are currently supported in their employment within government agencies, and efforts being made by the Government there.

On government agencies, I note a section in the bill, section 7 outlines the obligations of State Service agencies in relation to this legislation.  It requires each agency to take reasonable steps to implement the carer’s charter and action plan, and to monitor and report to the minister on steps taken by the agency to do that.  That is an incredibly important accountability measure to put into this bill.  It is really pleasing to see it there.  Things need to be made visible and reported on in order then to be assessed in terms of the efficacy and whether they are driving the outcomes we are looking for.

I would like to hear from the Government if any state agencies had existing obligations under the Federal Carer Recognition Act, for example, on this sort of monitoring and reporting, and how that fits alongside these new obligations in our act.  If there are any correlations there between obligations under the federal act and this one.

I recognise too that the introduction of this legislation and the widening of its scope may also introduce additional responsibilities and requirements of Carers Tasmania as the peak body in the area.  Others have noted this and I will briefly touch on it.

In in relation to Carers Tasmania and previous budgets submissions, I have quizzed the minister in Estimates sessions in past years, and there have been commitments expressed in that forum that they will be looked at carefully and there will be an effort to make to be supportive.  I hope that if this bill passes today, Carers Tasmania will not be backward in coming forward with their budget submissions to the minister to really ensure they have laid out clearly what they will need in terms of tangible funding support and other support to deliver on the requirements under the act and particularly, changes in scope it might hold for them.  I would hope that the minister would welcome that and be very keen to deliver on providing that support.

Ms Rattray – David and Julie might be able to add ‘and team’ if that funding came forth.

Ms WEBB – Indeed.  There might at least a little bit of expansion amongst the staffing resources there if that is what is required.  Again, Carers Tasmania will know best, but having come from the community sector prior to being in this place, I know that it can be a difficult task sometimes to come forward with your hand.  But we all know that community organisations like Carers Tasmania are doing and achieving far more than they are funded for through the Government, any government.  That is not a comment on this government of the day that generally funding is never enough to do the things you are tasked to do, let alone need to do.  I hope the passage of this bill provides some assistance, at least some really good spotlighting on better fulfilling needs in that area.

Others here have mentioned the inclusion of kinship carers within this bill in terms of the definitions of carers and the importance of that.  There are various complexities, but it really pleasing to see that expansion of scope.  I am sure the practicalities are something that will be worked out over time.  Certainly, anyone who is a kinship carer, whether they be grandparents caring for grandchildren or any other family relationships that is a kinship relationship, support is needed and often significant support and recognition is needed of that role being undertaken.  As others have discussed in more detail, that will be something for all of us to be closely monitoring as we go ahead.  Again, particularly there might be more focus in the next iteration of the Tasmanian Carer Action Plan.

I do note the discussion that has both in briefings we had and, in some contributions, today there is a real focus looking forward on the need to better identify and then support carers who are children and young people.  That is a particular cohort potentially difficult to see and recognise in our community and then to furnish with the support they need.

I strongly support this advocacy focuses on the children and young people in our community who are carers.  I hope that quick progress is made to find better ways and put things in place to support children and young people who are carers.  One way of doing that maybe through the school system, to be able to better act in terms of children and young people’s connection with school might be a good location in which to identify their needs as carers and better support them.  It also might be that some of those children who are carers, might be finding it difficult to stay engaged and be at school.  Again, there might be some limitations on utilising the education system to connect through to them.

Certainly, I say that thinking back on my previous role when I worked at Anglicare and the Social Action Research Centre.  One of the key researchers in that team, Dr Catherine Robinson, did a lot of work on highly vulnerable teens in Tasmania.  A really striking finding from the research work she did was that many children and young people in that 10-17 age bracket who are highly vulnerable and they are having trouble in their family environment and potentially, with issues of homelessness, having trouble with engagement with education, they might have youth justice connections, issues with mental health and trauma, drug and alcohol use, all those categories coming together in a mix.

The research that she did showed that those highly vulnerable teens, were they also had a high likelihood of being carers during their childhood.  One of the things that makes me think about is would we also perhaps need to better understand where children and young people who are carers, where they sit in our community.  Are they more likely to be in lower socio-economic groups for example?  Are they more likely to be facing other forms of vulnerability?  How does that need to intersect with the way we identify them and then support them in their carer’s role?  Certainly, we would need to understand the shape of that cohort and its needs to effectively support them.

When I look in the Tasmanian Carer Action Plan, to see what is currently in there about children, you cannot help but be a little concerned that it is lacking.  There is recognition there is a need to develop targeted information and referral resources for learners with caring responsibilities within the Department for Education, Children and Young People.  There is a commitment here in the action plan to update information and referral resources for learners with caring responsibilities.

There is a second action there to promote those resources for young carers to Department for Education, Children and Young People learners, schools and support staff.  That is fantastic, information is important, but it is also not tangible support.

Mrs Hiscutt – I am informed that due to the passing of this bill – when it happens – that will be updated.

Ms WEBB – Excellent.  It will be wonderful to see elements of the action plan more actively focused to providing support to young carers, in particular, because the provision of information is one thing, but if young carers are even struggling to be at school where they might encounter those resources, it is really more tangible support they are going to be requiring rather than a brochure.

I also note, in a contextual sense for this recognition of carers bill, that at times there will be circumstances in our community where carers are potentially affected more significantly.  Of course, our experience with COVID-19 over these past three years comes to mind most readily, and our ongoing experience of COVID-19, as we are now still living with it in our community.  I cannot help but note that we have not really acknowledged that at any stage in our contributions thus far.  It is a little telling, about the real visibility about the day-to-day, lived reality of carers in the community.

Again, it has not been visible enough to me, so I cannot put data or an evidence base to it, but as all of us here are living with COVID-19, I imagine that carers as a cohort are still feeling that most highly, in terms of impact on daily life.  Although you or I, Mr President, might not be doing much in our day-to-day life to have to accommodate COVID-19, there would probably be significant numbers of carers in the community who are still having to take daily measures to help manage vulnerability and matters to do with COVID-19.  It would be helpful for us to be aware of those sorts of situations.

As a community, we can all feel we are moving on from something.  However, I suggest that at times, carers are going to be one of those vulnerable groups we need to be mindful about, and the fact that their experience may be different from the general community.  I believe we could have a more active conversation about the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 for those sorts of cohorts who may be experiencing those vulnerabilities, and are having to manage it more actively on a day-to-day basis.

In closing, I echo what others here have said: this is a recognition bill and it is very pleasing to be in a position to support this bill, that has finally come to us.  I also put on the record my sincere gratitude and recognition of each and every carer across our state.  All of us appreciate the contribution you are making – not just to your family and close associates, but to our whole community, in the work that you do and the care you provide. 

Mr President, I am very happy to say that I support this bill and I congratulate all those involved in finally seeing it brought to us.

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