Anne Webster (Mallee, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak this afternoon about the direct impact of bureaucratic failures and an inadequate aged-care workforce on people in acute need of help and support in my electorate of Mallee. I refer to a constituent named Liz who came to me distressed by the red tape and inaction she had encountered regarding access to aged-care services. Liz is an older Australian living at home and has stage 4 metastatic lung cancer. In her words: 'I am bedridden. Surely I am a priority.' When I contacted Centrelink, I found her case had been waiting for more than 309 days. I called Minister Wells to discuss Liz's very acute need for increased support and subsequently worked with staff at the department. She is now receiving the care she needs and can safely remain at home with appropriate support. Bedridden elderly Australians should not have to fight the system to get the help they need to stay at home. Bloated bureaucracy and inaction on aged-care workforce shortages in the regions are an ongoing failure of this government.