Santo Santoro (Queensland, Liberal Party, Minister for Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Adams for her question, and I say to her before her peers that I very much appreciate her valuable advice to me in relation to Australia’s commemoration of International Day for Older People. She is an abundant source of very good advice.

I am pleased to advise that there was a significant level of activity to mark the International Day for Older People on 1 October, the theme of which was ‘celebrating seniors’. Whilst I was in Goondiwindi on that day, I launched the Still Inspiring calendar, which profiles 12 active and still very inspiring older Australians. Elsewhere around the country, MPs and senators were given certificates to issue at ceremonies to publicly acknowledge the contributions of older people. Seven thousand five hundred certificates were sent out, and I am told that they were extremely popular with the older constituents of all people in the parliament, including our friends in the opposition.

However, one Labor figure who seems to be unaware of the great things that the government is doing to celebrate older Australians is the opposition shadow minister for ageing, Senator McLucas. Senator Adams asked me whether I am aware of any other policies, particularly those of the opposition. What I say is that, in her recent project—and I hesitate to call it a policy paper—Senator McLucas called on the government to introduce awards to recognise the contribution of older Australians. That is what Senator McLucas said: ‘to introduce awards’.