Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on a subject that most of us will deal with during our lifetime: ageing. Whether it be our own experiences or assisting our elderly friends and family members, most of us will deal with the aged-care system.

As the member for Longman, I often receive negative feedback regarding the aged-care system. Whilst there are countless individuals who provide exceptional aged-care services, sadly not everyone has access to such services when they need them. The feedback I receive is often disappointing. Hearing stories of seniors who spend extended time in our hospitals due to a lack of services and spaces in nursing homes is not a sign of a functional aged-care system. Not only does this result in poor outcomes for our senior citizens; it also results in poor outcomes for the greater community, as hospital beds are limited.

This temporary solution to the lack of adequate aged-care facilities, in conjunction with the government's decision to walk back their 2023 promise to provide better funding to hospitals, is only exacerbating the issues surrounding health and aged care. It's clear to me that something needs to be done to improve the aged-care system that will remove some of the strain from our hospitals. It's my hope that common sense will prevail and that these issues will be addressed as a matter of urgency for the sake of our senior citizens.

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a merry Christmas and, hopefully, a more prosperous 2026. Christmas is a wonderful time, when people tend to forget about the challenges in life as they relax over the festive season and the new year. This, of course, is a great reflection on the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, and one of his promises, of course, is that he will help alleviate the burdens of those who follow him.

It's also the time of year when I often see the best in people in the Longman community—people putting the needs of others before their own and helping others less fortunate than themselves. The toy drive that grows every year, despite the difficult economic climate that many people face right now, makes me incredibly proud to represent this community. Our church community continues to flourish as they go about doing good, helping the homeless with meals and shelter, as well as victims of domestic violence and others doing it tough not just at Christmas time but all year round. I for one am grateful that Jesus showed us how people should treat one another, and I know that many people in Longman and around this great country will honour his sacrifice by attending church services this Christmas, and rightly so. Merry Christmas, everyone.

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