Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Polley, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) the latest waiting list for aged care home packages for the December quarter indicates there are around 105 000 vulnerable older Australians waiting for the home care package for which they have been approved,

  (ii) the waiting list includes 82 000 older Australians waiting with high needs—many are living with dementia, and

  (iii) the waiting list has grown by almost 15 000 since the home care package reforms were introduced by the Government just a year ago;

(b) calls on the Minister for Aged Care to explain why he described the current waiting list as being on a "positive trajectory"; and

(c) condemns the Turnbull Government for failing to care for older Australians and providing no solutions to deal with the growing home care package waiting list crisis.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition government is committed to quality care for senior Australians, with a record $18.6 billion of aged-care investment in 2017-18, part of nearly $100 billion committed over five years. In February 2017, we transitioned to a new home-care system which gives consumers more choice and control over their care. This new system for the first time allows us to better understand the extent of demand for home care packages and uncovers the extent of the problem left by the former Labor government. In September 2017, we announced the release of 6,000 additional level 3 and 4 home care packages over 2017-18, more than doubling the planned growth of high-level packages this year. We are now releasing around 3,000 home care packages on a weekly basis. This is a record delivery of home care packages and supports the minister's statement of a positive trajectory.

Question agreed to.