Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

 If there are two households next to each other on the same income and one household is working age, raising kids and taking out private health insurance, we don't see any rationale for paying them a lower level of support than a household next door that happens to be on the same income but of an older age.

This is a difficult decision. But at a time when this government needs to lean heavily into rising demand for aged care—and the member has raised that more than most in this House—we have to find every dollar we can to invest in those aged-care services. Of the $3 billion the member has mentioned from these saves—saves that we think are well supported by policy and well supported by equity—every single dollar will be invested in the minister for aged care's package of more beds, more packages and better care for older Australians.

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