Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Martin, for that very important question and for your very strong advocacy on behalf of senior Tasmanians. The Morrison government is committed to providing older Australians with access to care that supports their dignity and recognises the huge contribution that they have made to our nation. Investment in aged care is at record levels. In the last year alone, aged-care spending is estimated to reach about $18.6 billion. Moving forward over the next four years, as I've indicated, funding will grow by $5 billion to $23.6 billion.

We're investing $4.5 billion more than Labor provided in their last budget. On this argument, those opposite don't have a leg to stand on. We have provided $1.6 billion to create an additional 20,000 high-needs home care places since last December and, by 2020-21, over 74,000 high-level home care places will be eligible. That is an increase of 86 per cent on 2017-18. We've worked through the 2017 legislative review of aged care and we've responded in the 2018 budget with the More Choices for a Longer Life package, which encourages active ageing and provides an extra $1.6 billion in care.

Our aged-care sector in Australia provides some of the best care in the world, and we're rightly looked to as a leader in the field. There are thousands of extraordinary operators, facilities, care providers, nursing and other clinical staff, volunteers, cleaners, cooks and therapists out there improving the lives of senior Australians every day. They do this out of love and a deep professional commitment. Even the best teams will want to do it better. If you care about aged care, which those who work in the sector do, you want it to be at its very best—and I know that you will all welcome the strong measures, including the royal commission, that the Morrison government has announced.