Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the document.

I rise to speak on the 2018-19 report on the operation of the Aged CareAct 1997. The forward by the Minister for Aged Care reads:

The past year has been a challenging time for aged care in Australia as a spotlight has been turned on those parts of the system that have failed some of the most vulnerable older Australians. The establishment of a Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety is a vital step in identifying opportunities, and understanding how to meet the challenges to deliver world-class aged care services now, and into the future.

But the reality is that the aged care royal commission was called by this government to look into its own failings when it comes to aged care.

As usual, those opposite come into this place and try and blame the opposition for when we were last in government. But the Australian people, and those people who work in the aged-care sector, fully understand that the Living Longer Living Better framework was introduced by the Labor government in cooperation with those that were opposite at that time. What we have seen since this government has come to power is the aged-care sector being used as an ATM. That's what they've done. When the Prime Minister was Treasurer of this country, he gutted the aged-care sector by over $1 billion. Taking that money out of the aged-care sector has left it bereft of the resources that it needs to ensure that we have a safe, caring aged-care sector in this country.

The royal commission is a good thing, as it turns out. It has not only put the media spotlight on the aged-care sector, but Australians in general are also looking at it. We know there are some good things that the government have announced in very recent times—in relation to chemical restraints and moving young people out of the aged-care sector. But the reality is that it's a fundamental right of all Australians as they age to get the support that they need.

Recently the government announced, in relation to the interim report of the aged care royal commission, that they would make 10,000 additional home care packages available. The reality is that that is a drop in the ocean. That is what the sector themselves are telling this government. We know that currently there is in excess of 120,000 older Australians who have been assessed as needing an aged-care package from levels 1 to 4. Obviously, a level 4 package is one that is needed to give the security and services that enable that individual to live at home with support. That's what Australians want.

But what we have seen from the government in their response to the royal commission—which they called themselves, after 16 reports about the failings of the aged-care sector—is failure at the first hurdle to put some real, genuine money into the sector. So what we've got is 10,000 new home care packages. But we had to ask the government this week about a 95-year-old lady who has been told she will have to wait up to 22 months before she will get the package that she has been assessed for. We know that more than 16,000 older Australians have died after they were assessed for their level of aged-care home care package. That might be one way those people opposite want to meet their budget, but it's certainly not what we on this side of the chamber believe older Australians should have to deal with.

When someone is assessed for a home care package, they need to have that support. One of the responses from this government has been: 'Oh, aren't enough carers. There aren't enough workers in the aged-care sector.' It was this government, when it came into government, that cut the workforce subsidy that was put in place by the former Labor government. Over the last 6½ years, these people have said the workforce is not the federal government's responsibility. If you fund aged care in this country then the workforce is your responsibility. It's your responsibility to show the leadership, to ensure we have best practice and the best, most highly skilled and trained people to look after the most vulnerable.

Older Australians deserve our respect because they have contributed to this country. So it's a damn shame that those opposite don't respect older Australians enough to fund the aged-care sector. (Time expired)