The nation's former top military doctor has urged Australia not to become over-reliant on its troops during COVID-19, warning it could stretch resources and damage morale.
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As the in crisis aged care sector grapples with more than 1000 outbreaks across the country, Defence Minister Richard Marles on Monday confirmed Australian Defence Force personnel would remain in aged care centres until at least September.
With deaths in Australian aged care edging past 3000 since the pandemic began, former ADF surgeon general Tracy Smart accepted the extension was necessary, saying a lack of long-term preparation had forced the government's hand.
But with COVID-19 cases yet to peak, she warned pressure on the ADF was "not going away by September" and better planning would be needed to avoid an exodus of demoralised personnel.
"It's disappointing that it had to come to this, and that there wasn't work done from the moment ADF personnel were deployed in these unfamiliar and non-core roles," she told The Canberra Times.
"The new government ... has inherited this [and] it's a difficult problem to solve in a couple of months.
"But there needs to be some really proactive work, because this problem is not going to go away by September."
That might involve a "civil corps", potentially utilising SES personnel and volunteers for short-term stints, she said.
COVID-19 was spreading in over 1000 aged care centres across Australia, including 13 in the ACT, with more than 6000 residents and nearly 3500 staff currently infected.
Labor has maintained a surge force to cover widespread staff absences, and 250 ADF personnel will also be made available - up from 30 - in a move Mr Marles described as "extreme" but necessary.
'Morale issue'
The deployment began in February under the former Coalition government, as Australia grappled with a previous Omicron surge, and had been due to expire within a fortnight.
"[The extension] is obviously not a permanent state of affairs. It's important that our defence force is there to defend the nation and that people get back to their primary job in time," Mr Marles said.
"But given the outbreaks that we are seeing right now, it is important that Defence plays its part in a national response where we're doing everything we can to protect those in aged care."
The government expected deployments to cover "short periods", but the extent of spread raised the prospect of personnel being moved quickly from one centre to another.
Professor Smart, who spent 35 years as an Air Force medic, said the military was set up to cover its core business and respond to crises in "short, sharp bursts". But she warned long-term deployments in "non-core" roles could have flow-on effects, potentially eroding skillsets and damaging morale.
"You've got people who signed on to do one thing, and they're finding themselves in aged care [when] they haven't chosen to be aged care workers," she said.
"Then I think it starts to become a morale issue ... that could actually lead to retention issues if this goes on and on."
And after Defence was called on to respond to a series of devastating floods this year, Professor Smart tipped its resources to be increasingly stretched "as we destroy our planet bit by bit".
"Climate change is putting everybody under pressure. We need staff ready to go, and you start to erode capability, particularly if you're [deploying] for longer and longer," she said.
"It is a finite resource; we're not a big military."
'Desperate measure'
Aged Care Minister Anika Wells, also the Sports Minister, has cancelled a planned appearance trip to the Commonwealth Games in the United Kingdom amid the crisis.
Ms Wells described the extension as a "desperate" stopgap, after the surge workforce completed over 2000 shifts last week.
Wage increases for aged care workers and a new funding model for the sector, to go before parliament this week, would have a longer-term impact, she told the ABC.
"Nobody wants our ADF troops deployed to aged care. They've got plenty of other important work to do," she said.
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Ms Wells insisted the surge force was designed to substantially fill staff shortages, with the ADF to "float along on the top" depending on that demand.
Although 250 personnel, including trained clinicians and general duty troops, will be available, Ms Wells would not predict exactly how many would be called upon.
"[But] it's not enough. This doesn't fill all the shifts," she said.
"Any provider [or] facility manager will tell you, there are still shifts going short, and people doing double shifts, people working back-to-back-to-back with no reprieve, because it is a sector in crisis.
"It's been neglected."
Ms Wells confirmed two aged care reform bills will be introduced in the first week of the new parliament, to resume on Tuesday.