Jo Briskey (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The No.1 recommendation of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety was clear: deliver a new aged care act that puts older people at the very centre of the system. That's exactly what this Labor government is delivering on 1 November this year. This isn't tinkering around the edges; these are once-in-a-generation reforms—reforms that will deliver world-class aged care to the Australians who have worked hard all their lives to build this country, including many people in my own electorate of Maribyrnong. The new Aged Care Act is the next step in Labor's ambitious plan to fix aged care.

We know demand for home care is growing as our population ages. Families in my community tell me time and time again how important it is that their loved ones can get the right support to stay at home longer, because home is where they feel most connected, most independent and most valued. That's why these reforms matter. Today around 300,000 people across Australia access a home-care package, double the number just five years ago. In Maribyrnong, thousands of older residents rely on home-care services every single day. These packages are the differences between independence and isolation and the difference between someone being able to cook a meal in their own kitchen and being forced prematurely into residential care.

Last year alone, the government invested more than $8 billion into home-care packages, compared to just over $1 billion a decade ago. That's real investment delivering real care to more people than ever before. Crucially, older Australians assessed as high priority will continue to receive their package within a month. That's peace of mind for families and peace of mind for carers. From 1 November, under the new Support at Home program, more than 80,000 new home-care places will be rolled out in the first 12 months. Until then, our No. 1 priority is ensuring continuity of care for every older person already receiving services.

Every older Australian deserves access to high-quality aged care no matter where they live or what kind of care they need. That's why Labor is investing more than $1 billion every single year to strengthen services in regional, rural and remote areas, and this year alone $2.3 billion will support providers in thin markets, including $840 million in extra funding for residential aged-care providers in the regions, better reflecting the true cost of care, and $490 million for integrated health and aged-care services for more than 5,000 people and for culturally safe care for around 2,000 First Nations elders. In Maribyrnong, I've spoken with local aged-care providers and community organisations, from small multicultural groups in suburbs like Essendon and Keilor East to larger residential homes in Flemington and Ascot Vale. They tell me that funding certainly matters. It means that they can employ staff, expand services and give families confidence that their loved ones will be looked after properly.

As part of Labor's $5.6 billion aged-care reform package, we are also delivering $300 million in capital support for providers in regional, rural and remote Australia, funding construction upgrades and expansion of services, and $637 million to ensure home care is available in remote communities and for people with diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Maribyrnong is home to a vibrant multicultural community, most notably the Greek and Italian diaspora. Our community has been built by generations of migrants, and today many of those same families are caring for ageing parents and grandparents. The new Aged Care Act will ensure culturally appropriate care is front and centre so older people in communities like mine can age with dignity, language support and services that truly understand their needs.

Last year we invested more than $400 million to make Commonwealth Home Support Program services more accessible. Through over 1,200 providers, not-for-profits, local councils and community organisations, we are helping older Australians remain in their homes and communities for longer. Under Labor's reforms, the CHSP will transition into the new Support at Home program, creating a simpler, fairer and more equitable system that gives older people greater choice and control.

The message is simple: Labor is delivering more care for more Australians than ever before. We are delivering a record number of home-care packages, and we are delivering reforms that put dignity, quality and fairness back into aged care. For communities like mine where families value staying connected, where ageing parents are the foundation of households and where diversity is our greatest strength, these reforms will mean older Australians can keep living the lives that they choose, surrounded by the people and places that they love. Every older Australian, whether they live in Maribyrnong or Mayo, deserves nothing less.

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