Senate debates

Thursday, 15 November 2018

Questions without Notice

Aged Care

2:58 pm

Photo of Nigel ScullionNigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

More people than ever before are receiving home care packages. Of the 121,487 people, as of 30 June 2018, who are waiting for a package at their approved level, half were already on an existing package. It's very important to note that. They were already on an existing package, so it wasn't as if, as those opposite are trying to assert, no support was being provided. It is also very important in this context that people understand that $5.5 billion is also available as part of the Commonwealth Home Support Program, which assists around 800,000 older Australians. Meals on Wheels, you name it—there are a whole range of support packages that are also receiving care. I have to say: the fact that we even have a queue is something only this government has done. Under Labor there was absolutely no waiting list. We have provided the transparency. We've delivered significant long-term reforms in the provision of home and residential care for older Australians. The average wait time for people waiting for their first home-care package is about one to three months. We have provided an increase of 86 per cent, which is going to lead to more than 74,000 high-level home care packages being available in 2021-22.

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