Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Hansard source

After years of neglect by the Liberals in this area—just ask Mal Brough; he went into cabinet and was shot down while trying to get an increase for pensioners—Labor acted. The biggest threat to aged-care now is the Liberal Party senators and members in the other place and their $70 billion black hole. Where is that money going to come from, Mr President? Let me tell you: great big cuts to services. That is where it is going to come from. And we know the Leader of the Opposition has form. He has form on this: when he was the minister for health he cut $1 billion out of the health system. He cut the health system, and the senators opposite and the former government cut back on funding to education, they cut back on funding to higher education, they took $3 billion out of housing—and this is what they will do again to our seniors; they will cut back on services. (Time expired)