Knives out for minister

PRESSURE is mounting on Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck as his handling of the coronavirus crisis is increasingly put under the microscope.

Labor ramped up its attack on Tuesday against Mr Colbeck, saying he was “cut out” of a key decision-making authority in his own portfolio.

Opposition aged care spokeswoman Julie Collins said the decision to set up new aged care emergency response operations centres would instead rest with Health Minister Greg Hunt.

“The Minister for Aged Care is not across basic details, he’s not in Cabinet and now he’s been cut out of the decision-making process,” she said.

“If Scott Morrison is no longer confident his Minister for Aged Care can do the job, then he should sack him.”

But Senator Colbeck (above) rejected the claims, saying advice from the expert medical panel, which reports to Mr Hunt, will inform the running of the operation centres. His spokesman said: “Matters related to Cabinet are Cabinet in confidence, however the Minister continues to brief members of the Cabinet and the Prime Minister on aged care on a daily basis. Labor’s hypocrisy knows no bounds and they have clearly not listened to the facts.”

Senator Colbeck was under renewed attack in the Senate on Tuesday, where he said: “I was well aware of all the decisions made by respect to the formation of a Recovery Centre”.

In Question Time, several Labor MPs grilled the government about its handling of coronavirus at aged care facilities in their electorates.

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese asked Mr Morrison: “Why is this Minister still there?”

But Mr Morrison said the processes were being handled as they “always are”.

“The Minister for Aged Care, I speak to Mr Speaker, every single day,” Mr Morrison said.

Senator Colbeck on Monday apologised to the Upper House for not knowing the aged care death toll when asked last week.