As deaths in aged care continue to rise, the community may find the Morrison government’s announcement of an additional $171.5 million to boost its response to COVID-19 in residential aged care reassuring.

The package was agreed by all states and territories at Friday’s National Cabinet meeting, and brings the total Commonwealth funding for aged-care support during the pandemic to more than $1 billion.

It will also fund grief and trauma support for families, more compliance and quality checks, and support the establishment of emergency response centres in each state and territory.

But this announcement appears to be geared primarily towards dealing with the unfolding disaster wrought by the Federal Government’s mishandling of the COVID-19 crisis in aged care.