Howard government faced public outrage over treatment of residents in aged care homes
Normal text size
Advertisement
The Howard government was faced with public outrage when a number of residents in a Melbourne nursing home sustained chemical burns when given kerosene baths as a cheap alternative to standard treatment of scabies.
Nursing staff who objected and refused to comply lodged a complaint but instead of any public punishment the government agency set about a drawn out regulatory process of mediation with the owners of the home.
Bronwyn Bishop was heavily criticised for her handling of an aged care scandal in 2000. She would later be made Speaker of the House of Representatives.