Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering real reform in aged care? Why were these reforms necessary?

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

I thank the member for Corangamite for the question and for being an absolute champion for older people across the Surf Coast and on the Bellarine. Yesterday marked 100 days since the new Aged Care Act came into effect. For each and every single one of those days, this government has focused on making our new system work for aged-care providers, work for hardworking aged-care staff and, most importantly, work for older Australians. From the smallest community support service to acute residential facilities, this Labor government is focused on delivery, not division.

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

Member for Lyne, we're not going to have a continual running commentary during this whole answer. I'm going to ask you, for the dignity of the House, to cease interjecting, otherwise I won't be able to have you here, because it's disrespectful.

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

As I was saying, from the smallest community support service to acute residential facilities, this Labor government is focused on delivery, not division. We inherited a system in crisis—one that failed older Australians, failed their families and failed the workforce. Rather than deny that reality or talk it down or—and I quote—'do the minimum amount they could get away with' like those opposite, this government rolled up its sleeves and got to work fixing it.

There's always more work to do, but we've made clear progress in getting older Australians the care they need when they need it. I'm pleased to be able to update the House that, as at 31 December 2025, 346,893 older people had been allocated a Support at Home place. The National Priority System stood at 94,963—that's a drop of almost 30,000 people from the previous quarter. Median comprehensive assessment wait times have dropped by eight days, with the median wait time just 24 days from request to completion of assessments in the July-September quarter. And we're delivering $18 billion in pay rises, because on this side of the House we value our aged-care workers and we believe that they should be paid appropriately.

While our government is focused on older Australians, those opposite remain focused on their own internal division. They were a rabble when they were in charge of the system and they're a rabble now. While we're delivering reform, they're cycling through leaders and rerunning older arguments. While we're strengthening aged care, they're still debating who's in charge. Older Australians don't need instability. They don't need the division of those opposite. They need a government that is focused, stable and getting on with the job, and that's exactly what this government is doing—delivering for older people every single day.