Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
3:00 pm
I seek leave to move:
That the House:
(1) notes:
(a) in the third year of the pandemic, aged care remains in crisis, with almost 12,000 aged care residents and workers infected with COVID in more than 1,100 facilities as of Friday, and over 600 deaths among aged care residents this year;
(b) tens of thousands of aged care residents are still waiting for a booster dose;
(c) aged care facilities have been left without rapid antigen tests and PPE;
(d) aged care residents have been left without food, water and medical care because the Government's surge workforce strategy was inadequate; and
(e) despite aged care being in crisis, the Minister for Aged Care Services has declared the sector is performing exceptionally well; and
(2) therefore calls on the Prime Minister to:
(a) immediately sack his Minister for Aged Care Services; and
(b) apologise to aged care residents and their families for his failure to listen and act on countless warnings about the continuing crisis in aged care.
Leave not granted.
I move:
That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the Opposition moving the following motion immediately:
That the House:
(1) notes:
(a) in the third year of the pandemic, aged care remains in crisis, with almost 12,000 aged care residents and workers infected with COVID in more than 1,100 facilities as of Friday, and over 600 deaths among aged care residents this year;
(b) tens of thousands of aged care residents are still waiting for a booster dose;
(c) aged care facilities have been left without rapid antigen tests and PPE;
(d) aged care residents have been left without food, water and medical care because the Government's surge workforce strategy was inadequate; and
(e) despite aged care being in crisis, the Minister for Aged Care Services has declared the sector is performing exceptionally well; and
(2) therefore calls on the Prime Minister to:
(a) immediately sack his Minister for Aged Care Services; and
(b) apologise to aged care residents and their families for his failure to listen and act on countless warnings about the continuing crisis in aged care.
This aged-care system is in crisis and this government is too distracted by its internal war to worry about—
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence
3:03 pm
I move:
That the Member be no longer heard.
Andrew Wallace Speaker
The question is that the member be no further heard.
Clare O'Neil Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services
It's seconded. The Prime Minister's continuous attempt in question time today to minimise this crisis is a disgrace!
Andrew Wallace Speaker
The member for Hotham will resume her seat. The Leader of the House.
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence
I move:
That the motion be put.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts
There is no question before the House at the moment. A question hasn't been stated, and the call should be returned to the member for Hotham. If a motion was moved, it's not allowed at this point. The call should go back to the member for Hotham.
You'll have to sit down and have another go. We know you will, but—
Honourable members interjecting—
Andrew Wallace Speaker
Order. The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. You're seeking the call?
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts
No. He just had the call. It goes back to the member for Hotham!
Andrew Wallace Speaker
The call does go back to the member for Hotham. The Leader of the House will resume his seat. The member for Hotham has the call.
Clare O'Neil Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services
Mr Speaker, 622 people have lost their lives in aged care this year, and the Prime Minister seeks to minimise those deaths.
Andrew Wallace Speaker
The member for Hotham will resume her seat. The Leader of the House.
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence
3:11 pm
I move:
That the Member be no longer heard.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts
Thank you, Mr Speaker. The government is in chaos, aged care is in chaos because the people opposite are not doing their job.
Opposition members: Hear, hear!
An opposition member: Keep going.
Keep going? He does not know how to do his job, the one opposite. The Prime Minister goes missing every time there's a crisis.
Andrew Wallace Speaker
Order. The Manager of Opposition Business will withdraw that comment. The Manager of Opposition Business, was that a reflection of the chair that you just made?
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts
No, I pointed to the Prime Minister. I think you're doing your job. I don't think the Leader of the House is. I don't think the Prime Minister is. And certainly the minister for aged care isn't.
Andrew Wallace Speaker
When the Manager of Opposition Business says 'your', he's reflecting on the chair.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts
I assure you, Mr Speaker, if you go back and check the video, you'll see I was pointing squarely to the person who got the last procedure wrong.
Andrew Wallace Speaker
Alright. The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Leader of the House.
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence
3:14 pm
I move:
That the member be no longer heard.
Andrew Wallace Speaker
The question is that the member be no further heard.
Julie Collins Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture
3:18 pm
If this Prime Minister and the minister had done their job, thousands of residents in aged care would be—
Andrew Wallace Speaker
The member for Franklin will resume her seat. The Leader of the House.
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence
Now that they've run out of time for question time, I move:
That the question be now put.
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
3:23 pm
I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence
3:24 pm
Mr Speaker, earlier in question time, before this debate, there was an unparliamentary remark made by the member for McMahon. I'd ask you to ask him to withdraw it.
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy
I withdraw.