In State Parliament, Mr Beattie said nursing homes had received one-off grants of $3500 per resident to improve fire safety by the end of last year but 174 Queensland facilities failed to act.

He said the state would now conduct its own audit into the homes.

"Not only have some owners not acted to protect the elderly, but some may not have used the taxpayer-funded assistance for the purpose it was intended, yet little action has been taken by the Commonwealth," Mr Beattie said.

"Senior Queenslanders living in aged care and nursing homes deserve better.

"It is time to name and shame operators who have not done the right thing."

But Federal Ageing Minister Santo Santoro hit back, later revealing 12 of the 21 aged care homes operated by the Beattie Government did not comply with the new fire safety standards.

"If he wants to know why the operators of nursing homes have not used their $3500 per resident Commonwealth grant to upgrade fire safety standards, he might first ask his Health Minister Stephen Robertson, who presides over one of the highest non-compliance rates among operators of aged care homes," Senator Santoro said.

Senator Santoro also accused Labor of trying to whip up fear among nursing home residents and their families over fire safety.

He said all the nursing homes were required to meet standards higher than those for private homes including smoke alarms and sprinklers, but some were failing to comply with tougher new regulations which included more training for staff and additional escape routes.

All but 21 nursing homes in Queensland were on track to meet the new obligations by the end of this year.

"I stress, there is no higher risk to residents at those homes that are still working towards compliance than exists for residents of other commercial accommodation, and significantly less than exists for people in private homes without those state and local standards," Senator Santoro said.

Article from www.couriermail.news.com.au