PEOPLE who seriously neglect senior citizens or other vulnerable people in their care could be gaoled for up to five years under changes to the law, says State Attorney-General, John Hatzistergos.
“Australia has an ageing population and more people than ever are relying on their children and other carers to look after their basic needs, such as food, clothing and shelter,” Mr Hatzistergos says in a statement.
“The new laws will guard against elder abuse and provide peace of mind for vulnerable seniors who are no longer able to care for themselves.”
The New South Wales Government will expand and modernise an archaic section of the Crimes Act 1900 that makes it an offence to place the health of “a wife, servant or insane person” at risk by failing to properly provide for them.
“This section of the law will be updated to include a host of other modern relationships where a person is dependent on another party for their day-to-day care,” Mr Hatzistergos says.
“The changes will protect older people dependent upon carers, parents cared for by their children and people who are dependent upon their de facto partner.”
The maximum penalty for the offence is five years imprisonment.
The amendment to Section 44 of the NSW Crimes Act 1900 applies subject to provisions of the Commonwealth Aged Care Act 1997.
The amendments to the Crimes Act will also remove the reference to an “insane person”, which is dated and disrespectful, and replace it with a more appropriate description of a person with a mental illness.
Council on the Ageing (NSW) president, Kath Brewster, has welcomed the Government’s greater focus on the abuse of older people and the introduction of tougher penalties for perpetrators of elder abuse.
“With an ageing population we are very concerned about the abuse of older people, particularly those who are dependent on carers or family members,” Ms Brewster says.
“Abuse can take many forms including financial and emotional as well as physical, so any strengthening of laws will send a strong message to the community that abuse is simply not acceptable.”
SOURCE: The Cowra Community News
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