Mathias Cormann defends ‘very effective’ aged care minister as nursing home deaths rise

Outgoing finance minister says Richard Colbeck, who didn't know Covid death numbers, is an effective behind-the-scenes operator
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The outgoing finance minister Mathias Cormann has defended aged care minister Richard Colbeck, saying he believed Colbeck was a very effective minister" who should be judged on his overall performance.

Colbeck was unable to immediately provide a Senate committee on Friday with the number of people who have died in the aged care sector during the pandemic, a performance the opposition described as embarrassing".