Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

Again, Mr Deputy President, I congratulate you on your elevation to this high office. I take exception to the comments from my learned colleague across the chamber: it is not cold in Tasmania; we have a perfect climate down there. Secondly, we were in government for 16 years in Tasmania, and Tasmania is better off for it. I can guarantee you one thing: Will Hodgman will not be Premier for 16 years.

I would like to revisit the question I put to the minister in relation to aged care and the dementia and behaviour supplement. I want to talk about how the representatives from the aged-care providers reacted to the decision that was taken unceremoniously, I might add, and without any warning, to axe the dementia and severe behaviours supplement, a supplement to assist those who are at the most vulnerable point in their lives. Dr John Kelly, head of Aged & Community Services Australia, said:

It enables my members across 1,800 facilities around Australia to provide extra support.

They may be able to put on a specialist, they may be able to put on a person with dementia training … We're going to miss out on that.

He went on to say:

Dementia is a chronic condition.

To think that you're going to pull money out of something that's been identified as a priority heath need and something that's intrinsic in the care of those older Australians, it's more than tragic. I think it's a travesty.

But what about the for-profit sector? Were they impressed? No, they were just livid and absolutely scathing of this government. Patrick Reid, as I mentioned in my question, the head of Leading Aged Services Australia, said:

The Minister cites the reason for ceasing the supplement as a budget blow-out that has been known since August 2013; this action represents the Government turning its back on Australia's most vulnerable people, their families and the industry that provides specialist quality care 24 hours a day.

In fact, the for-profit providers were so incensed by this decision that they met in Melbourne last Thursday to vent their disgust. They face an uncertain future. They are wondering every day just how they are going to provide care and support for those people at the most vulnerable point in their lives. They obviously cannot abandon those with dementia. It is not an option, so this decision by the government constitutes another hit to the pocket of providers, many of whom survive on a very slim profit margin.

There is the question about consultation: was there any consultation with the sector? Senator Fifield reckons there was and he said that he consulted the aged-care sector committee, a committee set up to consult on issues like this, as well as unspecified experts. But did this actually happen? I can inform you, no, because Patrick Reid said:

At no stage was the committee consulted on the cessation of the funding.

There was no consultation, no warning, and those who were in the chamber last Thursday remember that the minister just snuck in here for the last question time of the previous Senate and made this announcement: no warning to the sector; no consultation with the sector, leaving the most vulnerable people and those who provide this valuable service out in the cold.

This is just further evidence that this government does not have a plan for dementia just like they have no plan for aged care generally, and there is no minister for aged care or for ageing. By all accounts, Mr Fifield has decisions thrust upon him from high. It is not just me saying that we do not have an aged-care minister or a minister for ageing; quite frankly, that is what the sector is saying.

The sector and the Australian community also remember that, during the Howard government, there were five different ministers for ageing, and none of them seemed to have any particular interest in the issues that involved older Australians. (Time expired)