Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

She then went on to say that she wanted to be open, transparent and honest with the aged-care sector. I will take that interjection from the other side. Release the modelling on which you base the $1.2 billion cuts to ACFI. Come into the parliament and release the modelling that you used, because the reality is that the cuts are over $3 billion, and those in the sector are saying that there could be up to $5 billion in cuts to the aged-care sector. The reality is that this sector will not be able to provide the same services and the same care to the most vulnerable people in our community—older Australians—if this government does not step up to the mark. We know the minister for health has no authority around the cabinet table. That is the reality of it. She obviously cannot stand up to her colleagues and speak up for the most vulnerable members of our community. It is a disgrace. It is something that those who are on the other side in the chamber should be hanging their heads in shame about.

As I said, we have had 100 days of this new government. What we also heard from the Prime Minister when he was asked by a journalist about what he thought his government had done over the first 100 days is: 'So far so good.' That is an unenthusiastic answer from a leader who is struggling to lead. As I have said before, it is not just us saying that this Prime Minister is struggling to lead the country; the Australian community believe that. Last month's poll was the worst two-party result since Mr Abbott was toppled by the Prime Minister. We may have a Prime Minister who can string more than three words together. In fact, most people would prefer that he actually shortened the rhetoric and speeches that he continues to give. They are hollow, just as his election commitments have been to this country.