Candidate: Zelinda Sherlock Electorate: Denison Party: Labor

Transcription

1 Candidate: Zelinda Sherlock Electorate: Denison Party: Labor Q: Tasmania has recently experienced a number of influenza related deaths in aged care facilities. What is your view in relation to compulsory flu vaccinations (except where there is a valid medical reason not to) for all aged care residents and staff, and introducing appropriate controls relating to visitors where there is a health risk? Do you support priority funding for such an initiative? Q: As Tasmanians age, they tend to take a mix of medications that may interact and result in less than optimal health outcomes for the individual. This may also incur high costs for both the individual and government, such as through additional visits to doctors and hospitals. Would you support funding for a statewide peer education program to raise awareness among older Tasmanians of: a) the safe use of medicines; b) the changing effects of medication as you get older; c) the importance of medication reviews; d) free services available through pharmacies; and e) opportunities for open discussions with GPs about their medications? Q: Falls are a major and preventable contributor to reduced physical activity and earlier death for older Tasmanians. Falls also result in higher health costs for the community. Would you support the provision of funding for programs, to be delivered by appropriate fitness studios that focus on building muscle strength, reducing falls risk and maintaining mobility for older Tasmanians? Q: Eating well is critical for older Tasmanians. A well-structured, age-appropriate diet is a strong contributor to good physical and mental health. The provision of nutritional advice and assistance in recipe planning and identifying appropriate seasonally based shopping strategies can considerably improve well-being at a low cost. Would you support funding for Councils and/or community organisations to trial a healthy eating program in a selected range of local communities across the State, particularly those that are identified as currently having poorer access to a range of quality food ingredients? Q: Older Tasmanians are at risk of becoming isolated and suffering the mental health impacts of such isolation. Do you support the provision of improved mental health resources within our local communities through the creation of central health hubs that focus on an holistic approach to individual care delivered by a range of relevant health professionals?

2 Q: Increasingly, information is being provided by Government, businesses and community organisations via the internet and on mobile platforms. It is recognised that many older Tasmanians are digitally excluded in terms of access, affordability and digital skill. Would you support funding to extend both formal and informal programs aimed at improving the skills of older Tasmanians to access and utilise digital technologies? Q: Diversity has been an ongoing strength for the Australian community. A key part of this diversity has been the intergenerational transfer of learnings and cultural understandings. COTA believes that bringing generations together, formally and informally, can deliver positive social outcomes for all. What would be your view on funding a series of trials across Tasmania that aim to improve cultural awareness and learnings between the generations, using a trained facilitator? Would you support the development of resources to facilitate such a program? In my humble opinion, funding a series of trials aimed at improving cultural awareness is not only vital, but is also important for a cohesive society. As a result, I would not only support, but would be delighted to participate in a program that improved upon the intergenerational transfer of learnings and cultural understandings. As an educator for over a decade, and a 2nd year PhD student, my thesis focuses on these issues and I consider myself well qualified to assist in this area. Q: Improved literacy and numeracy skills are critical for engaging in the rapidly changing modern world. Older Tasmanians are frequently being left behind as the world is changing around them. The 26TEN program already supports the improvement of Tasmanian literacy and numeracy levels, but more needs to be done. Would you support increased funding to 26TEN so it can engage more widely with older Tasmanians and link them to this program and other support services? Would you support creating more opportunities for older Tasmanians to become 26TEN volunteers so they can share their journey with others? Would you support increased resources for vocational training to allow older Tasmanians to better prepare themselves for the workforce challenges they face? Q: Many older Tasmanians report age discrimination when seeking either employment or employment advancement. Do you support priority being given to the creation of recruitment and retention policies within the Government and Parliament to ensure that older workers are not discriminated against? Q: Tasmania s workers compensation scheme imposes additional requirements upon older workers, where they have an open ended entitlement to work and are not subject to any compulsory retirement provisions. Would you support the removal of the age discriminatory elements of the current Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act so that the workers compensation entitlements for all workers match their entitlement to work and are not arbitrarily constrained by legislation once they reach a certain age? Without a doubt, I fully support this.

3 Q: Transport is a critical issue for communities across Tasmania, particularly among older Tasmanians. Access to required transport services is very important, particularly in meeting the last mile needs of those who are distant from an existing service or have mobility issues. Will you give priority to implementing changes to transport services that focus on those within our community who suffer most from transport disadvantage to ensure they can more effectively engage in their communities? Q: Volunteers provide many important services for older Tasmanians. In turn, many older Tasmanians also volunteer. Without the efforts of volunteers, many services that communities across Tasmania take for granted would not exist, or if required by Government, would require significantly greater funding than is currently provided. Will you be a champion for volunteering? Will you ensure that organisations that support volunteering efforts receive a funding stream that is appropriately indexed so they are able to effectively provide services to the wider community? Yes, I am of the opinion that volunteers are not recognised enough for the great work that helps to sustain our community. I would not only champion volunteering, but support a funding stream that effectively provides services to the wider community. Q: Elder abuse takes many different forms ranging from physical and psychological harm through to taking financial advantage (including via targeted on-line fraud) of older Tasmanians. The recent Australian Law Reform Commission into protecting the rights of older Australians from abuse [ provides an opportunity for significant action. Do you support legislating the findings of the Australian Law Reform Commission into protecting the rights of older Australians from abuse, after a period of public consultation and discussion of these important recommendations? Do you support updating of the Tasmanian Government s Elder Abuse Prevention Strategy that expires in 2018? Q: Will you support significantly widening the provision of information relating to safe on-line engagement and scams, including train-the-trainer programs, to allow greater volunteer engagement in this area? Will you support increasing resources for relevant agencies to investigate and, where possible, prosecute, on-line scammers? Q: Many older Tasmanians rely on low, fixed incomes. They do not have the expenditure flexibility of the average household and their exposure to a wide range of essential expenditures (power, gas, water, transport, rates, insurances, rent, healthcare etc) are largely unavoidable, even when attempts are made to minimise consumption. Government concessions and support payments, where they are indexed, tend to be indexed by the CPI. However, the effective CPI for older, lower income households tends to be much higher given the dominance of the above expenditures within expenditure patterns. Will you support the development of indexing arrangements for eligible older persons that better reflect the actual rate of price increase they face? Such an indexation arrangement would necessarily have the CPI as the minimum rate of indexation.

4 Q:The wage gap and irregular work patterns experienced by women as they raise a family and take on other caring responsibilities leaves them particularly vulnerable to financial insecurity. Will you support the introduction of a trial across Tasmanian regions that aims to assist women to be better financially prepared for later life, and identify strategies they can adopt at various stages during their life to be more financially secure? Q: With rapid increases in house prices, more older Tasmanians are experiencing housing stress. Will you support the investigation and implementation of improved housing arrangements for vulnerable older Tasmanians? Will you support innovative models of housing for older Tasmanians that improve the ability for them to live independently for longer? Will you seek the implementation of improved rent assistance schemes for eligible older Tasmanians? As older Tasmanians seek to right-size their living arrangements, will you support rebates for all State taxes applied when moving residences, together with assistance to qualifying older Tasmanians for their legal and agent costs, where the new residence is of a smaller land and/or floor area? Yes on all these issues. These are major issues facing many Tasmanians, and I whole heartedly support the recommendations above. Q: We all eventually die. It is important we all have the option of a dignified death in a safe and secure environment. End of life planning is critical to permitting a dignified death. Do you support improving existing legislation relating to wills, powers of attorney, advanced care directives and other relevant end of life documents, including the creation of a register of such documents so that relevant professionals involved in the care and support of older Tasmanians have access to the express intentions of their clients? Do you support extending the provision of palliative care facilities across Tasmania to ensure that loved ones can readily support those undergoing palliative care? Do you support older Tasmanians, under closely sanctioned guidelines and appropriate medical and psychological advice, being able to have control over their own death where palliative care is proving ineffective in relieving pain and suffering? Q: Tasmania s anti-discrimination legislation contains specific provisions that exempt other pieces of State legislation from operation where that legislation specifically permits discrimination (section 24). The Anti-Discrimination Act 1988 also includes specific reference to areas that are exempt from the operation of the Act. Would you support the amendment of section 24 to remove the ability of the State Government to apply age discriminatory provisions within legislation. This will ensure that ANY exemptions from the Act relating to age would be specifically detailed under Division 3 of Part 5 of the Act as an extension to the existing list. Q: Do you support on-going indexed funding for COTA Tasmania, as the peak body within Tasmania representing older people, to deliver its critical programs, maintain an advocacy role and work with Government to implement the Government s priorities for older Tasmanians?

5 I support this 100% and commend you on the work you do. Q: Are there any other issues affecting older Tasmanians that you think the next Tasmanian Government should address as a priority, which have not be raised above? In my humble opinion, you have raised the major issues and I fully support your platforms. Q: Can you please highlight the top 6 issues, based on your responses to the above questions, which an incoming Government should address to ensure the ongoing well-being of older Tasmanians and support them to contribute effectively to Tasmania? Housing Health and Services Isolation - Social Activities Intergenerational learning and understanding Transport Communication (digital included) and Information