While Australia has a natural advantage as an island, it also swiftly built surge capacity in the health system; deployed robust test, trace, and isolate systems; rolled out effective public health campaigns; and provided the eligible population with an economic safety net. ...private investment into aged care was able to flourish, which, experts say, turned people from patients into consumers. Recognising that maintaining the quality of life was just as important as preparing for a pandemic, the Commission urged the government to help aged care providers to “ensure there are adequate staff available to allow continued visits to people living in residential aged care by their families and friends.” Eagar, who has undertaken research commissioned by the Royal Commission into the adequacy of residential aged care staffing, found that quality and safety in homes is driven by four factors: total staff numbers, staff skill mix, staff continuity, and clinical governance.