Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Watt for bringing this issue to our notice. The allegations are absolutely abhorrent, and Senator Watt is quite correct that we shouldn't hear allegations of neglect in our aged-care system. Indeed, our government is working to improve the system. It is difficult. We have a large and extensive aged-care industry in Australia. We do have systems in place to ensure that we review and monitor the quality of care in our residential aged-care facilities across Australia.

The specific issue that Senator Watt is talking about is still under investigation. It is ongoing, so I will let that investigation proceed without further comment on the specifics. But I do want to remind the chamber that our government is committed to looking after our aged citizens. Every year under our government our home-care packages have increased, our residential aged-care places are up and we are providing more funding for our aged-care system. We are delivering record investment across the aged-care system over the forward estimates. We've increased it from what it was under Labor. It is estimated that funding for aged care will grow to more than $27 billion by 2023-24—that is, on average, $1.5 billion of extra support for older Australians each year over the forward estimates.

We as a government are committed to making improvements to the aged care of all senior Australians, and it continues to be one of our priority areas. That is why the Prime Minister called the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and it is why we are acting on it. As Commissioner Briggs stated as part of the final hearings of the commission:

I have, however, detected over the last year, counsel, a growing determination among officials and in the Government to fix the problems of the aged care system and to pursue a genuine reform agenda.

We are committed to pursuing that genuine reform agenda. We will continue to focus on the gaps in aged care and we will continue to have our Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission undertake spot audits. We will continue to have the commission review the performance of our aged-care residential facilities; where appropriate, to issue notices to impose sanctions; and, where appropriate, to actually revoke licences or the service's accreditation. We have those processes in place, and they must be allowed to be undertaken without interference to ensure integrity in the system, to ensure we don't have our system compromised by perception.

Our government will continue to provide senior Australians with the support they need, but the best support of all is the support that they can get in their own homes, and that is why we are committed to funding more home-care packages. Our home-care packages have increased by 224 per cent from just 56,000 under Labor. More Australians are getting more care in their homes now than they did under Labor, and we continue to be committed to home-care packages so that people can grow old with dignity, surrounded by their own family, in their own home, with the necessary care and support they need to make their final years as comfortable as possible. We will not turn our back on the challenges of the future and we will continue to review the royal commission's findings and implement reform where needed and where appropriate.