Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Ludwig. Bearing in mind that dementia is currently affecting over one million Australians—including those directly affected and those caring for a person with dementia—is the third most common cause of death, costs this country $6 billion annually and will be the third greatest source of healthcare and residential care expenditure within 20 years, and considering the importance of this issue and the fact that our community services and our health and aged-care services are ill-prepared to face this, why has the government terminated the dementia initiative? Will the government guarantee that the programs funded under this initiative will continue to receive at least the same level of funding that they received under the initiative?