Cameron Caldwell (Fadden, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Housing) | Link to this | Hansard source

Parents and grandparents deserve an aged-care system that treats them with dignity, compassion and humanity. Older Australians should not be denied care that they so desperately need just because a computer algorithm says no. The case of 98-year-old Holywell local Mr Dudly Austin highlights huge flaws in the government's new aged-care laws.

After suffering a life-threatening fall, Dudly was assessed as a low priority for care despite serious concerns about his condition. For Dudly's family, what should have been precious final weeks together became a battle with the system. It wouldn't listen, and that system was failing them in trying to get him the help he deserved. Dudly sadly passed away on 10 June. My thoughts are with Amanda, Andrew and his family during this difficult time.

Dudly deserved better, his family deserved better, and older Australians deserve better. No family wants to hear that their loved one's needs have been reduced to a score on a screen, but that's exactly what's happening under Labor's version of robocare. We are hearing concerns from families, providers, advocates and aged-care experts right across the country. The coalition has repeatedly raised these issues, but the government refuses to listen. The Labor government must act to restore humanity to aged-care assessments. Australian seniors deserve nothing less.

Our veterans didn't put a cap on their service to Australia, but Labor is putting a cap on their care. In May last year, I wrote to the Minister for Veterans Affairs on behalf of a local veteran, and the response arrived in June 2026—more than a year later. If a veteran has to wait for over a year for an answer, something is seriously wrong.

And now Labor is capping veterans' allied health care at $5,000 a year—physiotherapy, psychology and occupational therapy that many of our veterans depend on. I receive emails every day from veterans and their families who are worried about what this means for them—people like Paul from Oxenford, who wrote to tell me he is 'a concerned veteran ... wondering about his future'; Tracey from Biggera Waters, who said, 'Many vets fall through the cracks and their pleas are left unanswered'; Stephen from Ormeau, who, after 46 years of service, told me, 'I am saddened with how the system treats us older soldiers'—

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Cameron Caldwell (Fadden, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Housing) | Link to this | Hansard source

Robin from Biggera Waters, who is 'still struggling' and has outstanding claims stuck in the DVA process; and Russell from Pimpama, who, after 49 years of service, says his government's treatment of veterans is 'a disgrace'—just like the member for McEwen, Deputy Speaker, who should show our veterans more respect in this place. He is absolutely out of line in not listening to these stories. The minister and these members opposite, who should know better, deserve to treat our veterans with respect.

Honourable members interjecting—

Carina Garland (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Can we all just take the temperature down in here, please? I call the member for McEwen.

Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

He's out the door. The member might want to remember it was his government that refused to pay veterans for three years.

It was his government that said there was no value in supporting veterans. So you're a moron.

Carina Garland (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Member for Fadden!

Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Back into your cave!

I rise today to stand with the Doreen RSL and veterans that I represent. Men and women who have supported and served this country deserve not just gratitude but respect and support. For over a decade, during Liberal-National coalition governments, Doreen RSL has been seeking a permanent home. A $1.6 million federal investment was secured in good faith to deliver exactly that at Brookwood Community Centre to ensure our growing veteran community in Doreen and Mernda were able to access supports, from a chat with other veterans to accessing advocacy and mental health support for their complex needs.

But, sadly, 12 months on, after this was secured, the City of Whittlesea has acted in bad faith and been disingenuous about accommodating the RSL as planned, with a blatant mix of unfair, impossible hurdles and a financial penalty that is ridiculous by any means. By stripping away the very revenue streams, food, beverages and community engagement activities that keep an RSL alive, the City of Whittlesea is setting the RSL up to fail. The council deliberately misled the community on the wants of the RSL.

First, the financials: council says the entire building is expected to raise $57,000 a year in rent, but it wants the RSL to pay $44,000 for less than half the building. Work that out—seriously!

Council imposed time limits on opening hours for the RSL: 'It's 8pm, ladies and lads. Get out! It's time to go home.' Yet you, I or the member for Solomon can get 130 of our friends and have a party with drinking, music and all that, right through to 11 o'clock. Why is the RSL being treated so bad? This is imposing a 'no alcohol, no food, no beverages' policy on the RSL. I mean, what a joke! How is the RSL to raise funds if it's not allowed to even make cost recovery?

Strangest is this imposition: the banning of sports on the TVs at the RSL! Council itself notes:

Doreen RSL has indicated that gaming machines are not proposed … even without gaming or wagering facilities, a sports bar-style configuration would shift the facility's character toward a hospitality-focused model, which is not aligned with the intended purpose of … community centres.

That is a deliberate falsehood by the council. It's shameful, and ratepayers are disgusted.

What troubles ratepayers even worse is the preferential treatment afforded to a private, for-profit dance school operator. It is run by a former employee of the council—the same council we were given this funding by. I sincerely hope the relationship has nothing to do with the City of Whittlesea's preferential treatment for a former employee of theirs. Then the co-owner said in the Northern Star Weekly, 'How can you have a group of mostly male veterans in one room and young girls in the other?' I am speechless. Our veterans deserve better than this vile insinuation. They deserve respect, transparency and a council willing to stand with him and deliver, as agreed.