Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care. Is the minister aware of a report that, while visiting a nursing home in May, he conceded the government's $1.2 billion cuts to aged care were hurting, saying, and I quote, 'These things are controlled by Treasury.' Can the minister confirm that he now blames the Prime Minister, the then Treasurer, for the $1.2 billion cut to aged care? Is this why the Prime Minister described his own government as a muppet show?

Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The report in the paper is not accurate and it is not a comment that I would make when I'm in an aged-care facility. Our funding going from $13.7 billion to $18.6 billion to $23.6 billion is an increase, and our budgets are continuing to grow. In terms of the ACFI instrument, the work that's being undertaken at the moment is looking at the RUCS program. We will continue to work with the department on the reforms that are required.