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

I thank the member for Bennelong for his question and acknowledge his continued and ongoing advocacy both for the aged-care workers that he represents and for the residents that they care for. In two weeks, it will be the third anniversary of the final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety—a 2021 documentation of disaster. It's a blunt, black-and-white description of failure. It's a report that described the aged-care system under the coalition's lead as a shocking tale of neglect and one which was unkind and uncaring. Among the many dark themes that were to emerge was that workers were systematically underpaid and undervalued, that low wages and poor employment conditions meant that the sector struggled to attract and retain well-skilled people and that, in turn, led to unacceptable staffing levels that created substandard care.

On day one of cleaning up their mess and of restoring dignity, following nine years of neglect, the Albanese government got to work to make sure that aged-care staff were valued again, and we have delivered. We have delivered an $11.3 billion increase to minimum award rates for more than 250,000 workers across our country. It's the biggest pay rise for this sector ever. We have delivered a funding package that is 10 times more than the previous government's investment in their workforce pillar. Now we are providing even more cost-of-living relief and even more value. From 1 July, Labor's tax cuts will also deliver these registered nurses in aged care a $1,679 tax cut—almost double what they would have received under the coalition. Ninety-seven per cent of aged-care workers—from personal care workers to lifestyle to kitchen hands to nurses—will be better off under Labor's tax cuts. This cost-of-living relief will help close the gender pay gap, as the aged-care workforce is more than 85 per cent female. Our reforms have also seen a reduction in the number of pressure injuries, a reduction in the number of physical restraints and significant unplanned weight loss, as well as improvements in star ratings data with fewer one- and two-star rated facilities and more four- and five-star rated facilities.

Change happens when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of making a change. Yet those opposite refuse to acknowledge the pain that they were causing workers, while our government recognised the need to change and recognised that we can do more to help. That's the key difference between them and us. They provided platitudes; we provided pay rises. Australian taxpayers do not want more of the coalition's chaos and cost-of-living confusion; they want stronger, fairer wages for their hard work. (Time expired)

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