Andrew Gee (Calare, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise to support the release of these 20,000 home-care packages. I believe it is an important step forward for the parliament and also for the nation. Most people in our communities know how important home care is to our seniors and the difference that it makes to people's lives. I think everyone was shocked that these packages were being withheld. The feedback from the Calare electorate, in the central west of New South Wales, is that the packages need to be released on the double and that we need to get help to our seniors to help with their amenity of life and the support that they need.

I commend my crossbench colleagues, in particular, for leading the charge on this. The crossbench has been very vocal on this. It's an issue that is close to the hearts of many Australians. There are still about 121,000 people being assessed and 109,000 people waiting for packages. So this issue has not gone away. We, as a nation, must do much better to support our seniors and those in need. I commend everyone involved on the push for the release of these packages—in particular, my crossbench colleagues and Senator Pocock, who have been right in there from the very beginning on this, pushing for these important changes and for this vital support to be released.

Question agreed to.

See this speech in context