The Royal Commission's interim report is due on October 31. It will surely, be provocative and cathartic. The current system of residential aged-care is failing older Australians. Shocking evidence of abuse, neglect, under funding, staff shortages and stalled reform has been highlighted and the Commonwealth Government has been accused of "missing in action".

Our Prime Minister ScoMo is not demonstrating leadership; more resources must be provided to build industry competence and to ensure delivery of an aged-care system that meets community standards.

Aged-care must deliver both quality of life and quality clinical care. A better mix of staff is urgently needed and the decline in the employment of trained nurses in aged-care must be reversed. The current workforce is too small: the bare minimum of staff employed on minimum wages is the norm for the aged-care industry and consequently, staff cannot undertake their duties properly and compassionately.

When I was forever young and studying economics at High School, my teacher with tongue in cheek decided to shock me and provoke my thought processes. He said words to the effect: "The Commonwealth Government could save a lot of public money if it put older Australians into incinerators and ended their miserable lives."

I have never forgotten these shocking words but do note the vast number of past reviews of the aged-care system and the lack of any sense of shame or urgency.

There does appear to be a total lack of leadership, expertise and compassion about aged-care within the Commonwealth Department of Health.

Brian Winship

Port Macquarie