John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I find it quite amazing that Senator O'Neill says, 'They should be telling the truth.' Just like Labor was telling the truth at the last election about privatising Medicare? Is that the sort of truth you want to talk about, Senator O'Neill? They were telling complete furphies to the Australian people, saying, 'A coalition government will privatise Medicare.' What rot!

I tell you what is the truth, Mr Acting Deputy President Gallacher, these words:

… remains unconvinced a royal commission into the sector is warranted—

into the aged-care sector of course. Who said that? Mr Bill Shorten in June 2018—remains unconvinced a royal commission is necessary. Of course, there's a change of heart now—always a change of heart into royal commissions from those opposite. In 2014 when the Greens moved a motion here to have a royal commission into the banking and finance sector, where was Labor? Over there opposing it. That's for sure. Yes, Senator Cameron, they were. I was over there with the Greens supporting it.

Senator Cameron interjecting—

I was over there supporting it; You were opposing it. Just like we recommended a royal commission when Senator Bishop handed down his economics committee report. Labor opposed it. Thank goodness it's going now. Thank goodness we've got it up and running, and let's hope it sorts the sector out.

I have no doubt whatsoever that tonight's Four Corners story will show some very damning evidence of the care in aged-care facilities, but those opposite will say, 'Oh, it started in September 2013 when the coalition was elected. It was all perfect up till then.' That's what they'll say. No, it's never been all perfect, and no doubt there will be problems put to the public tonight and they'll be very concerned by what we see on television.

Senator Polley said the government's shown no leadership about getting this issue fixed and putting a spotlight on it. Let me tell you, Mr Acting Deputy President: as a result of the increased audit work we commissioned as a government to deal with this problem, the Department of Health has closed almost one aged-care service per month since Oakden with an increasing number, I understand, to improve the quality of care. So almost one a month has been closing after we commissioned the inquiry into the problems, and the Department of Health have acted ever since. So to say we've shown no leadership is absolute rot.

This is simply a political game being played. I'm with Senator Macdonald: what do we ever get out of question time? A waste of taxpayers' money. Perhaps the money that we're wasting here on question time and taking note of answers should be put into aged-care facilities. That'd be a good idea. We'd stop wasting time, stop wasting taxpayers' money and the aged would be looked after better.

Those opposite are very concerned about the aged—yeah, right. Those self-funded retirees who've retired and are ageing—you want to tax them twice on their dividends, the shares they've invested in. Fully franked shares—these people are on $30,000 or $35,000 a year, and you want to tax them again. That's really looking after them. Just cut their budget—they're living on a shoe string budget now.

To say we've cut spending—Senator Scullion made it quite clear: we've increased spending to the aged-care sector by a billion dollars every year since we've been in government with another $5 billion on the way. This is going to be a political football, and it shouldn't be. Everyone in this building, on all sides of politics and on the crossbenches, should work together so that the necessary aged-care changes are brought in. A good start is a royal commission to have a good look at the whole industry. Of course it's expensive.

Of course you need nurses, carers, people and domestic staff working in aged care. My mother was in an aged-care facility in Inverell for many years, and I thought overall they did a very good job looking after her—I was only with her probably an hour or two before she died, and the staff were simply wonderful. I have heard of neglect and abuse in facilities around New South Wales. People probably get frustrated, angry—that's where they've got to learn to be a little tolerant with the aged, especially those suffering dementia, Alzheimer's, all sorts of memory loss and you name it. Sadly, one in two Australians aged 80 and over will suffer some sort of memory loss, dementia, in one way or another. Sure, you've got to be tolerant, and it's 24-hour work in aged-care facilities, day and night—GPs visiting, volunteers visiting. Thank goodness for the many volunteers who visit the elderly to comfort them, give them some hope and some friendship—that's another vital thing we should look at. But to see the politics being played out now about aged care and how it's all our fault—this has all just happened since we've been in government; it was all perfect before then—is absolute rot. Let's hope we get it right in the future.