Anika Wells (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

In my first speech to parliament, I made a commitment to be a good ancestor and to leave the world a better place for future generations. Three years and five months later, I am so proud to be out of a government putting those values to action. I am proud to be part of a government that is easing our cost of living with responsible spending while delivering community benefits in a wide range of portfolios.

This is the first Labor budget in almost a decade. This is a budget that delivers on the promises that we took to the election.

When I think about how our budget ushered in a new era for Australians, I think back to the conversations I had while doorknocking in my electorate of Lilley, pre election. It was clear to me, whilst visiting the residential aged-care facilities, whilst knocking on doors and whilst speaking to voters at pre poll, that a decade of denial had left aged care in real crisis. As constituent after constituent passionately shared their shocking stories of neglect, I grew increasingly appalled. At the time, I had no idea that I would even be a minister, let alone, now, the Minister for Aged Care. So I listened, and the list was long and confronting. Those conversations will always stay with me. I stand here now, proud that this budget improves the quality of aged care and takes steps to address the concerns of some of the people that I spoke with at those booths.

I also stand here knowing that this is only the beginning and that reforming this sector will take time—a lot of time. I want to move aged care from a culture of compliance to a culture of excellence, and this budget is a positive step towards that goal.

This budget represents meaningful progression in restoring dignity to older Australians in care. It includes $3.9 billion in funding and responds to 23 of the aged-care royal commission's recommendations. It increases care minutes for residents, starting with 200 from 1 October next year, and 215 care minutes from 1 October 2024, while, from 1 July next year, all aged-care homes must have a registered nurse on site 24/7. These measures combined received $2.5 billion in funding from the budget.

There is $23.1 million spent on progressing in-home aged-care reforms, including additional consultation, a large-scale trial of a new assessment tool, and the establishment of a service-list advisory body. There's $26.1 million that will fund individual homes to provide better support to older First Nations people, those from diverse communities and those living in regional areas. The Strengthening Regional Stewardship of Aged Care measure, funded at $68.5 million, will expand the department's local presence, to help improve regional aged-care services, including in eight new regional locations, while $312.6 million will be provided to modernise aged-care ICT, to enable reform and reduce administrative burden.

One of our greatest priorities in aged care is supporting staff, after nine years of neglect left workers underpaid and undervalued. In August, the Albanese government made a submission to the Fair Work Commission for a much-needed pay rise for our valued aged-care workers. Last week the commission made an interim decision for a 15 per cent increase, with further considerations to be had. This is another positive step forward in reforming aged care, because, if we don't start paying workers properly, we will not be able to attract and retain enough staff to care for our loved ones as our population ages. This decision also helps us to close the gender pay gap. More than 85 per cent of aged-care workers are female and, until now, they could've earned more by stocking shelves in supermarkets.

Our commitment to boosting the workforce does not end with aged care. Childcare costs have soared 41 per cent in the past eight years. We will cut the cost of early childhood education for more than 1.2 million families in Australia. The impact will be particularly felt in my electorate of Lilley—not just at my house—where 8,900 families will have access to cheaper child care, thanks to this commitment. Ninety-six per cent of families with children in early childhood education and care will benefit from the new subsidies, and no Australian family will be worse off. This is among several initiatives that will help to take cost-of-living pressures off young families on the north side of Brisbane.

It is estimated that participation rates for women in the paid workforce remain almost 10 percentage points below those of men. This must change. I am a working mum with three young kids, but I am one of the fortunate ones with an amazingly supportive husband and a supportive network of family and friends who are able to support us as I juggle this work. Not everyone is this fortunate. Too often, young parents and families are faced with the pressures of a choice between working to put food on the table or spending time with their newborn baby. This is why I am proud that the Albanese government is increasing Australia's paid parental leave scheme to six months. The six months of leave will also become more flexible, so the leave can be shared more equitably between both parents, while a single parent can claim all of it.

Having a child shouldn't be an economic barrier for families, and I know mothers and fathers in Lilley are relieved to have greater choice about how they balance work and family whilst giving their children the best start in life—a life we are helping to protect through measures to reduce the cost of medicines. For the first time in its 75-year history, the maximum cost of general scripts under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme will fall. Getting sick or needing medical treatment should not be a burden on the shoulders of Australians. People should be able to seek treatment and afford medication. We are taking action to make medicines cheaper so people can afford them when they need them. The maximum co-payment of $42.50 will drop to $30 from 1 January 2023. This is yet another example of how the Albanese government is investing in people, and it is investing in the environment's future. It is this government that enshrined in law an emissions reduction target of 43 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. Earlier this month, I visited a thriving medical hub, Sanofi, in my electorate of Lilley and helped unveil its commitment to renewable energy through 1,500 solar panels. Sanofi gets it, and it is planning an expansion to 3,000 solar panels. The project is expected to generate two gigawatt hours of clean electricity annually.

In my electorate, I have seen firsthand the devastating impacts of climate change, in the February floods that swept through the north side with little regard for treasured items and household structures. Dream homes were lost, memories floated away, families were left shattered but, as always in Lilley, the community rallied. These extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, and isn't it a nice change to have a government that recognises climate change's impact?

Finally, as the Minister for Sport, I am thrilled that we are committing to boosting inclusive pathways as we prepare for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic games. Last month in New Zealand I helped launch the FIFA women's World Cup draw ahead of next year's tournament. It is the biggest women's sporting event in the world. This government has committed $44.8 million to co-host the World Cup because this festival will encourage more girls and more women to participate, volunteer and work in sport. This budget is also providing better access to sport for First Nations communities and people living with a disability, through funding and expansion of the successful Sport4All program, which will train an additional 80 inclusion coaches. We want to make sport accessible for all Australians no matter their age and no matter their background.

This budget is about delivering cost-of-living relief and genuine reform to help make medicines cheaper, to increase paid parental leave, to reduce child education costs, to reduce our impact on the environment and to encourage women and girls to enjoy sport in a safe environment at last.

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