Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Watt. I'll remember that you were kind to me. It was a number of decades ago, but I think things have gotten worse. We've got waiting lists as long as your arm for people going onto home care packages. We've got a government that doesn't take this issue seriously. Senator Canavan said you do. You're in your third term. All you do on that side is blame Labor for things. Honestly, there comes a time when you've got to draw a line in the sand and take some responsibility for being the government. I'm calling on Senator Colbeck to do that.

When Senator Colbeck was answering the questions, I've got to say he left me feeling quite concerned, because I didn't feel his answers were suitable for other senators in this chamber or acceptable to the general community, and certainly not to our ageing Australians. In the minister's home state—we both come from that beautiful state down south, Tasmania—there's a total of 2,142 Tasmanians just waiting for a home care package. They haven't even been offered lower packages than they're entitled to. This includes 63 Tasmanians awaiting a level 1 package, 665 awaiting a level 2 package, 918 awaiting a level 3 package and 496 awaiting a level 4 package. This is not good enough. Sadly, I think the Earle Haven issue is a sign of what we'll probably see more of. I think that is horrifying. It should be horrifying to all of us. It was distressing for the clients and it's distressing for the staff. And there are issues around whether the staff are going to get their due entitlements. I know that staff up there are very concerned about what has happened to the clients as well.

There's this whole thing about what we came into politics for. What do we come into politics for? People say, 'I came into politics to leave a better society for the next generation, a better community for the next generation.' I'm certainly one of those people that have said that on numerous occasions. Also, I came in because I care about the vulnerability of all Australians, especially our elderly, who often don't have family that can advocate for them. I'm wondering how much advocating had actually happened for people in Earle Haven and other areas around the state.

We need to make sure that as a government and parliament we care about these older Australians. Lacklustre answers by the minister are not good enough. There's a crisis in aged care. On this side we have been pushing and pushing for changes in the aged-care area for a number of years. In fact, Julie Collins, the member for Franklin, for whom I'm the duty senator as the shadow minister for ageing and seniors, has talked for years about what needs to happen. We're banging our heads against a brick wall, but you know what? It's up to you guys. You guys are in your third term. You need to sharpen your pencils and get on with the job. (Time expired)