Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

This government is very proud—as is the member for Page—with our record funding when it comes to aged care. $44 billion over the next four years shows our very strong commitment to making sure that we are providing services for our older Australians. Indeed, if we look at that $44 billion over the next four years we can see some of the increases. There is $713 million over four years, in terms of pension reform. There is also the increase in the viability supplement of $14.8 million, which will particularly assist those aged-care providers in regional, rural and remote areas. We are also committed to retaining the conditional adjustment payment at its current level of 8.75 per cent. This measure will see the aged-care providers receiving $2.3 billion. What we saw in this budget is this government’s continuous commitment to provide funding to the aged-care sector.

It also builds on the government’s many other commitments to aged care, particularly issues such as one of our election commitments: $300 million and zero-interest real loans to expand or build homes in areas of high need. We saw the first stage of that rolled out, which $150 million in zero-interest loans. It great to see around the country the number of homes that are underway. In fact, in the electorate of Longman the other day, I opened up the first home to be the beneficiary of the zero-interest loans, which was absolutely fantastic.

It also builds upon the government’s major election commitment, which was a commitment to transition-care places of $293 million over four years. Transition care is so vitally important in making sure that we can move people out of hospital settings and into more appropriate settings whilst they are recovering from their hospital stay. It has been great to see the number of people that have accessed this particular program around the country, and the success that that has had. I know from talking first hand to many people who have been through the transition-care program how it has really impacted on and affected their lives. It is great to see that there are thousands of people right across the nation that have used this program, which is also part of our ongoing commitment to making sure that older Australians are able to access all the care and services they need.

I would like to touch on a couple of other budget measures briefly because they are very important. In particular, the change to our continence aids payment scheme, which is really important to those people that receive and are part of this scheme. It gives them greater flexibility and access when it comes to accessing their continence aids.

I would like to briefly touch on a couple of other budget measures because they are very important. The change to our continence aids payment scheme is really important to those people that are part of this scheme. It gives them greater flexibility when it comes to accessing their continence aids. This is really important. I had many people approach me with the concerns that they had over the previous system. We are giving people a lot more flexibility and choice when it comes to accessing all of the aids that they need.

We also saw in the budget our ongoing commitment to palliative care, with $14.4 million over four years. What we have seen right throughout this budget—particularly when it comes to aged care—is this government’s ongoing commitment to providing services for our frail and our vulnerable older Australians right across the nation. We have 2,830 nursing homes with nearly 200,000 older Australians in them. I take this opportunity to commend the staff in those nursing homes right across the nation and the outstanding work that they do.

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