Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. The minister has repeatedly claimed that there were 'around 87,000 people waiting for a home-care package as at 31 March'. But, moments ago in the Senate, the government admitted that the waitlist crisis has worsened significantly. Senator McAllister confirmed that as at 31 July there are almost 109,000 elderly Australians waiting, another 20,000 in the queue. When did the minister or his office become aware of this number, and why didn't he provide it to the House?

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

There is an established process for verifying and releasing data as it pertains to the national priority system waitlist. At the end of March, around 87,000 people were on the national priority system waitlist, and we're releasing more than 2,000 home-care packages every week up to this point to deal with that question. There is, as I said, a process of verification because the government does not want to release incorrect information when it comes to the national priority system. It's a longstanding process that is the same as was managed under the previous government, and I again refer the Leader of the Opposition to the numbers that I have given repeatedly throughout this.

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order—Practice makes clear that, if a minister is aware of an incorrect answer, they come forward. The Minister for Housing did that yesterday on an answer. The minister has not corrected his answer and has been given an earliest opportunity to do so. Why hasn't he corrected his answer?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's not a point of order. If you wish to raise that, there are other forums of the House to do that.