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

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Minister Wong. In the lead-up to the 2020 election, the then opposition leader, and now Prime Minister, said, 'The idea that you can have an approved aged-care package and then die waiting to actually receive it is just extraordinary.' Does the Prime Minister still stand by his comments, or has he changed his mind?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

It is the case that we were concerned, in opposition and in government, about support for our elderly Australians and improvements that needed to be made in the aged-care sector. I believe there was cross-party understanding that the sector needed to change and to reform, and the government has sought to do that. We've made changes to improve the aged-care assessment system. The system is less than a year old, and I know the minister has announced two important improvements, in particular, to the way aged-care assessments work. I'm advised that there is a rapid—

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

Senator Ruston?

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

On a point of order on relevance: I merely asked the minister whether the Prime Minister still stands by the comments he made in 2022 or whether he has changed his mind.

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

Thank you, Senator Ruston. The minister is being relevant to your question. Minister Wong, please continue.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator, you have worked in this sector and you know the problems of the old assessment processes. They weren't fair or consistent and Australians were left waiting. We tripled the number of homecare packages—420,000—by the end of the financial year; it's triple what was provided in 2020.

Secondly, it is the case that we know that the ageing of the population means that the number of people needing help at home is increasing. We are working to bring down wait times across the board—

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

Minister Wong, please resume your seat.

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

On a point of order of relevance: my question was very simple. It didn't stray to any of the things the minister is talking about. I'm wondering if you can bring the minister back to the specific question that was asked of her.

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

Thank you, Senator Ruston. The minister is being relevant to your question. Minister Wong, please continue.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator, you asked me about an aged-care package. I'm entitled to tell you what we are trying to do on aged-care packages, and I would have thought you'd be interested. What I would say is that wait times have been coming down for Support at Home places since the new system started in November. Of course, we absolutely want to deliver the care people need. (Time expired)

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

Senator Ruston, a first supplementary?

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

I suggest the minister gets better briefed. Given his comments, does the Prime Minister know how many people died while waiting for an aged-care package in the year 2025-26?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

First, I would express regret that anyone would pass without getting the support they need. I would; of course I would. I think we all understand—and some of us in this chamber, and others in the community, would have had personal experience of people being in a position where they don't get the care they need.

The government is very conscious—

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

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Ruston.

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

Once again on relevance, President, I asked only one question. The minister has gone nowhere near answering whether the Prime Minister is aware how many people died last year while waiting for a homecare package.

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

Thank you, Senator Ruston. The minister is being relevant to your question, and I'll keep listening carefully.

Order! When you're quite finished, Senator McKenzie, I'll call the minister again.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I again say it is a matter of sadness that people in this country, under both governments, have not been able to receive care in time. What I would say is that the minister and the government are working hard to ensure that we provide more places, that we reduce wait times and that we respond to the fact that the ageing population does call for more care— (Time expired)

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

Senator Ruston, second supplementary?

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

I will ask again: does the Prime Minister know how many older Australians died while waiting for an approved home-care package in 2025-26? If you don't know the answer, will you take it on notice and provide me with an answer by tomorrow?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I always am willing to do the Senate the courtesy of adding to an answer if I can, Senator Ruston, but I'd again say to you that all of us understand that there are real pressures on aged care. There have been for years. We all know the grief and trauma that comes from having older Australians—

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

Senator Ruston, on a point of order?

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

I would ask if the minister is prepared to take it on notice—

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

Senator Ruston, that's not a point of order.

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

That was my only question.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

This is about people, and we understand it's about people. It's not about politics; it's about people. And that is why the government has put additional funds into aged care. The minister is working hard to implement a new system. I absolutely accept that that system is not delivering—

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

Senator Ruston, you need to be listening in respectful silence, as well as other senators who were also disorderly.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I accept that this system needs to deliver more. We all understand that. We also understand the challenges. That is what the minister is working through, and that is why the government has put more resources into the system. (Time expired)