David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, Minister McAllister. How many people are currently waiting for a Support at Home package, and how many people are currently waiting for an assessment?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Pocock, for the question and for advising me of your intention to ask it. In terms of those waiting for a Support at Home place, as at 31 December, there were 94,963 people in the National Prioritisation System waiting for the allocation of a place. In terms of the waitlist for assessment, as at 31 December, 103,527 people were waiting for an assessment.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In December. It's May.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senators will understand—and I think this is a shared value across the chamber—that older Australians have spent their entire lives contributing to their communities and caring for their families, and they should be supported to access the care that they need to grow older with comfort, dignity and respect. That is why we have made the investments that we have made from government. When we came to government—and I'm listening to the interjections from Senator Ruston—the aged-care system was not built for the population we have today—

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's not true.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston, I have called you.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and not for the population we can expect to have in 10 or 20 years. Everybody will remember how the royal commission described the system that was administered by those opposite as one characterised by neglect. Since coming to government, we have set about compressing a decade's worth of reform into a three-or-four-year period. We've invested more in three years than those opposite invested in their 10 years in government, and we've invested over $4.3 billion in the new Support at Home program. These are facts that those opposite don't wish to hear, but this is important work that the government takes seriously because we respect the contribution made by older Australians, and we're determined to provide the services that they require.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Pocock, first supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister, for that. I am a little bit surprised that you've only got figures from December. I would have thought you'd at least have the first quarter's figures. Given that there are more than 200,000 older Australians waiting for care at home, can you advise how many new Support at Home packages were funded in the budget?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This Senate has had a number of conversations about whether or not it is appropriate to add those two numbers and whether that makes sense. You know, Senator Pocock, that that methodology is not one that the government accepts. Nonetheless, your question goes to the budget. Labor will deliver an additional 32,000 Support at Home places in 2026-27. As I outlined in the budget papers, once we've rolled out these additional places, more than 420,000 older Australians will have access to a Support at Home place. That is almost three times as many older Australians compared to those who had a home-care package back in 2020 when those opposite were responsible.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's not true either.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston, perhaps you can have your own question.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's so not true.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston, I'm addressing you. Perhaps you can have your own question rather than interjecting so rudely from the sidelines. Senator Pocock, second supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, on Tuesday during budget lock-up, the government released two weeks late their report into wait times. We now know there is a triage list which is a waitlist to get onto the waitlist, to then get onto the waitlist for a Support at Home package. Given we've got so many Australians waiting, why weren't there more Support at Home packages funded in the budget?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Pocock, the report that was published was not late. It was published in line with the government's legal obligations under the Aged Care Act. The government was required to release the report as soon as practical after it was provided by the department, and it did so.

This government and this budget do deliver for older Australians. The Labor government will deliver $3.7 billion to deliver more beds, more packages and better care for older Australians to ensure they get the support they need. That means 5,000 additional aged-care beds each year, principally for those with limited financial means, incentivised through building subsidies, and an increase and restructure of the accommodation supplement. It means faster access to Support at Home— (Time expired)