Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Aged Care. This morning, Dr Brendon Radford, Director of Policy and Research of National Seniors Australia, told ABC Radio:

… there were people who have died. We had another person who was waiting for a package, ended up in hospital, got released, had no support—three days later, they died.

When will the minister apologise to the families of the vulnerable elderly people who have died waiting for you to do your job?

Sam Rae (Hawke, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Aged Care and Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for their question. As I have said before, stories that are shared within this parliament and outside of it of older people passing away, whether they are in care or waiting for care, are always saddening, and that's why our aged care reforms are so very important. The decision to defer the implementation of the new act and the Support at Home program that came with it was very broadly welcomed. I've canvassed these matters very extensively in the parliament over the last couple of days, and I refer the member to my previous answers.