Andrew Charlton (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Aged Care. What changes has the Albanese Labor government made in its first six months to improve aged care for our older Australians?

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

I thank the member for his question, because I know how hard he campaigned to see aged-care reform in this country. As he knows well, we inherited an aged-care system in complete crisis—one that was so bad that it needed a royal commission. This crisis is best articulated by a line from that royal commission final report that describes the attitudes of those now opposite. That report read:

At times in this inquiry, it has felt like the Government's main consideration was what was the minimum commitment it could get away with, rather than what should be done to sustain the aged care system so that it is enabled to deliver high quality and safe care.

The former government completed a mere six per cent of those royal commission recommendations in the time they had in office.

Anne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What now!

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Minister for Early Childhood Education does not need to assist the chair.

Government members interjecting—

Order! Members on my right will cease interjecting so that I can hear from the Manager of Opposition Business.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance: in a previous question time, you asked a minister to return to the question because they had 'a preamble'. The minister has had a preamble; she should be asked, I submit, to return to the question.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business has raised this point before. The minister is one minute in. She is talking about the changes that the government has made in the first six months to improve conditions for those in aged care, and I'll ask her to continue and draw her back to the question so she can update the House.

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

I would love to, Mr Speaker. The royal commission actually made 148 recommendations to improve aged care. The then government achieved only nine of them in 15 months to improve aged care. This lack of work, this lack of delivery and this lack of output was there despite the fact that they had three ministers in charge of aged care at the time. They had Senator Richard Colbeck, the actual minister for aged care; they had the Hon. Greg Hunt, Minister for Health and Aged Care; and they had the then prime minister Scott Morrison as the Minister for Health, undermining or presiding over the health portfolio, depending on whether or not you're a Niki Savva source.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll give the call, reluctantly, to the member for Petrie, on a point of order.

Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a couple of points of order, Mr Speaker.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One will do.

Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are two. There is one on correct title in relation to the member for Cook.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. The minister was clear. I was listening carefully to her answer when she said 'the former prime minister Scott Morrison'. That is his title. I will give her the call to continue her answer, which will be heard in silence.

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

There are so many titles to choose from, Mr Speaker! I can see how it's confusing.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You may continue with your answer.

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

In just six months, the Albanese government has directly addressed 37 of 148 recommendations to improve aged care, compared to nine in 15 months. We have passed two pieces of reform legislation, and we have delivered a much needed funding boost for residential aged-care homes. We have increased funding by around $1 billion this financial year to fund workers to spend more time with their residents and to ensure a registered nurse is on site 24/7. In just six months, the Albanese government has strengthened provider and governance reporting requirements, bringing in greater transparency and accountability. In just six months, we've made it mandatory for providers to report how much money they are spending on food for each resident, with providers that are spending less than $10 a day being referred to the commission. One of our first acts in government was to make a submission to the Fair Work Commission to get aged-care workers a pay rise. On 4 November, just two weeks shy of our six-month anniversary, the Fair Work Commission made a welcome interim decision for an increase to wages of 15 per cent for aged-care workers involved in direct care. Older Australians—our parents, grandparents, friends and relatives—deserve an aged-care system that delivers high-quality and safe care, and on this side of the House we have been working very hard in six months to achieve it.