Henry Pike (Bowman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in support of the member for Casey's motion today. Australia's elderly population is growing, so we need solutions to care for our parents and our grandparents who have given so much to our country over their lifetimes. Home care is an important arm of our aged-care framework, yet this government does not seem to recognise the need and desire of many of our elderly to receive in-home care.

Under the previous coalition government, we saw over 227,000 Australians access new home-care packages. In our final two budgets, 80,000 packages were released. This ate into the list, but of course more had to be done. In contrast, in Labor's first two budgets, we only saw 9,500 additional packages made available. Since this motion was lodged and we've had the budget delivered, we've seen a few more in the third budget but nowhere near enough to meet the need that is out there. It's left many waiting far too long on waiting lists to receive the care that they need.

I've had many discussions with people from the Redlands who have been affected by this shortfall. They haven't received the support and help that they deserve because of Labor's inaction on this front. They've sat through shocking wait times, meaning for months or even years they've not received the care that they need. I want to share with the Chamber a few examples.

Peter from Ormiston is 81 years old and has vascular dementia. He was accepted for a level 3 home-care package in November and he was told that there would be a four- to six-month wait for services. This was then blown out to nine to 12 months. When my office contacted My Aged Care regarding this matter, it was informed that the wait time was now 12 to 15 months. It's unacceptable that Peter, at 81 years of age, must wait for up to 15 months. John from Russell Island has been waiting since November for help. He wrote to me:

My Aged Care is a failure largely due to a lack of sufficiently trained staff and the lack of current information as to service providers who can help.

Practitioners advised us that they do not service the Bay Islands. My Aged Care staff have been reduced to a group of "box tickers" and users of standard letters.

Their responses are not driven by thought or recognition of the suitability of the advice being provided.

But, of course, those working in this space can only do what they can under the conditions that are provided to them by the government. John wrote:

I am waiting for an assessment interview, before a Package of Service can be assigned, I've already been waiting more than a month.

Then there's Darlene from Coochiemudlo Island. Her husband has Alzheimer's disease. He is on a level 2 home-care package but needs more help. If he goes to a level 3 package, he'll be waiting 12 to 15 months to receive that help. Another constituent of mine from Ormiston was on the waiting list for an aged care package at 97 years of age he unfortunately did not receive any help before his passing.

Those who are assessed and are able to receive a package often have the challenge of not being able to find adequate services. Kay from Victoria Point wrote to me and said:

Elaine from Russell Island wrote to me:

A nation can be judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable. Our senior Australians deserve support to live comfortably in their own home if possible. These Australians who've reached out to me are just a small percentage of Australians who are despairing at the state of our aged-care system. They are struggling to live the lives that they deserve because of unacceptable delays and inadequate care that prevents them from enjoying life within their own home. Labor must do better on this front. Aged-care providers do a wonderful job to help as many senior Australians as they can. I join the member for Casey in calling on the government to immediately address the evident shortfalls of aged-care packages.

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