Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Indi for the opportunity to speak on this important motion. And I thank the member for Eden-Monaro for her comments. She is right: regional and rural Australia need the services and infrastructure in aged care. But the important thing to note is that we are not running a fast-food drive-through here. We need to make sure that we have careful and deliberate planning when it comes to aged care, and the government is certainly addressing the recommendations that were provided in the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. That is why in the budget this year in May the Treasurer stood at the dispatch box and announced a $17.7 billion package for a once-in-a-generation reform of aged care, including measures aimed at improving aged care particularly in rural, regional and remote Australia.

I want to acknowledge the work done by the previous minister for regional health, the member for Parkes, and to acknowledge all of the rural and regional members in this parliament, not just on this side but in the parliament. And I do respect the member for Indi. She comes here with a long, proud history of health care—she does—and the member for Macarthur, too; I had dinner with him not that long ago, when COVID allowed us to do those things, and certainly the topic of rural health was first and foremost in our discussions.

I was very pleased that the latest Aged Care Approvals Round, announced recently, delivered new residential care places and capital funding for the Riverina electorate, because Riverina is a microcosm of Australia—certainly of regional Australia. That ACAR included $197,560 in capital funding for the Uralba Hostel at Gundagai and 36 residential-care places for the Signature aged-care centre in Wagga Wagga. Signature has already started earthworks for its new development on what was once the south campus of the Charles Sturt University in the suburb of Turvey Park. This sort of infrastructure is so important to our areas. Whether it's Wagga Wagga, which is a big regional hub, or a small town or district, they need their residential aged care. I certainly take onboard what the member for Eden-Monaro said about loved ones—family members—who have lived in a particular area. She cited Bombala, but it doesn't matter whether it's Bombala, Bega or elsewhere in our great nation. Those people have contributed mightily to their local areas, and they deserve the very best of care and aged-care coverage, whether it's home packages or whether it's residential living, in their twilight years, which should be some of the best years of their life, when they can spend time with loved ones and with family and friends in the community to which they have contributed so mightily.

That's why I was pleased that in the ACAR provisions there was funding for 45 beds for Harden aged care. Unfortunately, Harden aged care was closed earlier this year and residents were moved to nearby centres. Cowra proponents were going to take over the facility, but they needed a $4 million capital investment, which is not part of the ACAR round; they needed a business improvement fund, which they were able to get—hundreds of thousands of dollars. But the 45 beds was essential, and that is a viable, very much on-the-go aged-care centre at Harden, which could be taken up by a proponent, and I certainly hope that is the case.

I just want to take on the comments of Mark Douglass. Sadly, his mother passed away when she was moved out of Harden aged care. He says, 'Old people are worthy of our care and respect and are not a commodity to be carelessly disregarded or traded as entries on a balance sheet.' He's right, and we all know that. That's why our government is doing everything we can to address those issues in that important royal commission. We're doing everything we can as far as services and as far as infrastructure is concerned for aged care, because aged people deserve the very best treatment and respect in what, as I said, should be their very best years. We will continue as a government to provide that service and level of support for them.

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