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

My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Colbeck. Prime Minister Morrison told the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader that aged care was one of three major areas the government will focus on, saying:

… with aged care, we have a royal commission and I am keen to see more in-home care services established.

How many new service providers have been approved by the Department of Health to deliver home care in the past 24 months?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Urquhart, for the question. She is right to quote the Prime Minister on the fact that aged care is one of the priorities of the government, because it clearly is one of the priorities of the government, and I've heard the Prime Minister make that comment in quite a few forums. In fact, he addressed our party room on Tuesday to say exactly the same thing. It is one of the key priorities, and we went to the election with that priority. That's why yesterday I was so delighted to announce that the number of home care packages in the market to the end of June last year had grown by 25,000. That's a significant achievement by this government that we had an extra 25,000 home care packages in the market. That's why at the last—

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

Order. Senator Urquhart, on a point of order?

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

It's on relevance.

Senator Wong interjecting—

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

Order! Can I hear Senator Urquhart's point of order, please?

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

The question was very simple. It was: how many service providers have been approved? I haven't heard the minister answer the question—as to how many in the last 24 months.

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

Senator Urquhart, you highlighted the end of your question. I do believe the minister was being directly relevant to the preamble to that. He is entitled to do that. You have drawn his attention to part of your question. But I'm listening carefully to the minister, and at this point I find him directly relevant to part of the question.

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying, that's why since the budget last year we've injected $2.2 billion into the provision of home care packages. It's interesting to note that, despite the concern expressed by those opposite, at the last election they did not put one single dollar into additional home care packages—not one single dollar—

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

Order! Senator Wong, on a point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, consistent with your exhortation yesterday to give ministers more time, we have done so. The question is not about policies the opposition might or might not have taken to the election. The question is about the number of new service providers approved by the department in the last 24 months. I would ask that you remind the minister of the question and of the standing orders for him to be directly relevant.

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

On the point of order, Senator Wong is correct in saying opposition policies are not directly relevant to the question. However, the preamble to the question referred to a statement by the Prime Minister that claimed a government commitment to a particular policy. The minister is entitled to address that part of the question. I believe what he's saying right now is directly relevant to the part of the question, albeit observations on opposition policies are not.

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) | Link to this | Hansard source

And so—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) | Link to this | Hansard source

Come on, try. You can do it!

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) | Link to this | Hansard source

as I indicated yesterday, there are now 125,000 home care packages in the market, projected to grow to 144,000 by next year; 148,000 by 2021; 153,000 by 2021; and 157,000 by 2022-23.

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

Senator Wong?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order on direct relevance: I'm pleased he's found his brief on home care packages. We've actually asked him about new service providers.

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

And I've said previously, Senator Wong, I believe the minister, in addressing the preamble to the question with this material, is directly relevant to the preamble to the question because the question outlined a claimed government commitment, and he's outlining material he claims demonstrates that. You've highlighted the second part of the question, but the minister can be directly relevant to any part of the question.

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) | Link to this | Hansard source

I think it is quite reasonable that I reinforce the government's commitment to home care packages, as stated by the Prime Minister. And we continue to fund more, with $2.2 billion announced by this government, since the budget last year, for new home care packages. And not a cent— (Time expired)

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

Senator Urquhart, a supplementary question?

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

How many service providers operating and delivering home care have not had a quality review?

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Senator Cormann is raising a point of order, sorry. Senator Cormann.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong is the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. She knows that constant interjection is disorderly. I would ask you to call her to order.

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

On the point of order, Senator Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) | Link to this | Hansard source

I think he is referring to the fact that I said 'you can do it'. If that is an interjection he rejects so much then I am happy to withdraw it.

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

I grant the Leader of the Opposition, with the standing orders, some precedence—more flexibility than others—but I would also encourage all leaders to lead by example.

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't have a figure as to the numbers of providers that haven't had a review. But of the 929 providers as 30 June 2019 in the market, I'll have to take that on notice and I am happy to come back to the chamber with a number of those that haven't undertaken a review.

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

Senator Urquhart, a final supplementary question.

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

The royal commission has heard of serious defects in the provision of home care services. Have any home care providers been sanctioned by the Department of Health for non-compliance?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator, thank you for the question. I don't actually have direct information with respect to that but I am happy to say and agree with Senate Urquhart that the—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order on my left!

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) | Link to this | Hansard source

provision of home care and the quality of home care provision services are issues that we are quite rightly concerned about. To ensure that people are receiving those services in their home in a safe way, in a way that obviously clearly meets their needs, is extremely important. The government is cognisant of, is very aware of and is alert to the issues that have been raised by the royal commission. In the context of the development of a set of compliance frameworks that work not just in home care but also across the NDIS, I think it is a very important direction that we are heading (Time expired)

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order! There is too much noise emanating from my left during answers to questions and occasionally during the questions themselves.