Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

If you look at the Notice Paperwhich I know you do constantly, all-day-every-day, Mr Deputy President—you would see the two motions for disallowance that Senator Polley has before us today. The titles of the disallowance motions make them appear fairly innocuous. They read:

That the Residential Care Subsidy Amendment (Workforce Supplement) Principle 2013, made under the Aged Care Act 1997, be disallowed.

…

That the Aged Care Subsidies Amendment (Workforce Supplement) Determination 2013, made under the Aged Care Act 1997, be disallowed.

They sound fairly innocuous when you read them, but what these two disallowance motions actually represent is an act of unmitigated—I will choose my words carefully here—mischief. There is a stronger phrase I was tempted to use, but I am always keen to observe the decorum of the chamber.

The coalition was very clear before the election that we had some significant issues with the Aged Care Workforce Supplement. It sounded good in theory. Who could be against better wages for people who work in the aged-care sector? But there were some significant qualifications on—