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

My question is to the Minister for Aged Care. How is the Albanese Labor government supporting aged-care workers with pay rises and tax cuts? Are there any threats to this?

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

I thank the member for Parramatta for his question and for his commitment to restoring dignity to all the recipients of aged care in his electorate. There aren't many jobs more important than those that our aged-care workers do. Being an aged-care worker is physically and emotionally draining work, and it's highly skilled work. I saw this firsthand during ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, when I visited Emma and her team in Mercy Community's services in Nudgee. In preparation for gale-force winds and torrential rain, Emma, Grace, Kamala, Salushana, Isha and others all packed their overnight bags and left their own homes to do double and sometimes triple shifts and even sleep over at the nursing homes to make sure that their residents got the care that they needed.

But you wouldn't have known how important aged-care workers were based on what they were paid under consecutive coalition governments. For too long, women like Emma, Grace, Kamala, Salushana and Isha were undervalued and underpaid, and that's not because these jobs aren't skilled or important. It was because these jobs are predominantly done by women.

In last night's budget the Treasurer announced another $2.6 billion to deliver pay rises to nurses working in aged care. That means that, since 2023, the Albanese government have invested $17.7 billion to increase the award wage for more than 400,000 aged-care workers. Under the Albanese government, registered nurses are earning an extra $430 a week; that is $22,000 a year. And, with Labor's tax cuts, they're keeping an extra $2,667 in their pockets. With Labor 's investment in Medicare, they will be able to see a bulk-billing GP. With Labor's plan for cheaper medicine, they won't pay more than $25 for their PBS script. With Labor's investment in affordable housing, they will have more help to buy a home, with a lower deposit.

The Albanese government is firmly focused on the issues that matter to Australians: easing the cost of living while fighting inflation, helping people earn more and cutting their taxes to help them keep more of what they earn. The only thing the coalition will not cut is your taxes.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.