Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health) Share this | Hansard source

The Social Services Legislation Amendment (Payments for Carers) Bill 2018 is proposing to introduce an income test with a high threshold of $250,000 per annum to both carer allowance and carer allowance (child) healthcare card from September 2018. These are almost the only social security supports that to this point have not been means tested before. The government, we understand, estimates that around one per cent of carer allowance recipients would be affected by this proposed change. The Minister for Social Services has indicated that the savings generated by this measure over the forward estimates will be redirected to funding the integrated carer support service.

Labor has listened to key stakeholders in this area, including Carers Australia, who we understand support this change. Carers Australia and other carer service providers have indicated that they have been working with the Department of Social Services to design a more integrated and nationally consistent model of delivering services to carers across Australia. Labor will support this bill because we are satisfied that the vast majority of Australian carers will continue to be able to access more and better support.

I welcome the government's commitment to provide help to carers before they reach crisis point. We are very concerned about this. The additional counselling support, emergency crisis support and financial planning support that will help many carers at what can be a very difficult and isolating time is welcome. But Labor is concerned that little is known about the proposed integrated carer support service. Not only is the detail about these early intervention supports very limited, but the commencement of the new program has been delayed. These new supports were meant to be available for carers from 1 July this year, but we understand they are now delayed until October. Labor will hold the government to account on this and ensure that the proposed integrated carer support service is properly implemented.

Labor recognises the very significant contribution that carers make to the lives of the people they care for as well as to the broader community. Their dedication in overcoming what can be daily challenges is something that I'm sure all members in this place acknowledge and respect. Over many years, I've had the pleasure of meeting with many carers who provide care to a relative or a friend, particularly in my portfolios of ageing and mental health. Care that enables dignity and independence for the person receiving the care is so important.

Labor has consistently stood up for Australia's carers. In 2009, the former Labor government increased the carer payment by $30 a week. In 2014, Labor stood up for carers by opposing the Abbott and Turnbull government's unfair plan to cut the indexation to the carer payment. If they had been successful in cutting this indexation, the carer payment would have been cut by $80 a week over 10 years. It was a very significant cut that Labor was able to block. I know that many carers have not forgotten about this cut and I understand they are wary of any proposed changes by this government. That being said, we will support the bill today. We support the introduction of means-testing for the carer allowance because it will ultimately lead to better services for carers through the introduction of integrated carer support services. I commend the bill to the House.

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