Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Improving aged care for all senior Australians continues to be one of the government's key priorities. That's why one of the first acts of Scott Morrison as Prime Minister was to call the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. That's why the government is delivering record investment across the aged-care system: $13.3 billion in 2013 growing to $21.4 billion in 2019 and then to an estimated $25.4 billion in 2023. That's an increase of over $5 billion of extra support for older Australians over the upcoming forward estimates.

The government is also committed to giving senior Australians support to live in their own homes for longer. Since the 2018-19 budget, the government has invested in providing 44,000 new home-care packages at a cost of $2.7 billion. Home-care packages have increased from 60,000 under Labor in 2013 to almost 160,000—

Senator Polley interjecting—

Well, that's an increase of 150 per cent, Senator Polley. And over the same period there was a total increase in funding of 250 per cent due to growth in high-level packages.

Opposition senators interjecting—

That's not as a result of this government. To make that accusation is totally out of order. Can I say, unlike the Labor opposition, who are only interested in raising super to 12.5 per cent so their mates in the industry fund can collect more fees, we're committed to looking after all Australians, not just working Australians, but those Australians who stay at home and are retirees. For Labor to sit here and lecture us, after they were going to rip off retirees at the last election—they've got a hide. They have a hide!

Can I say, if you want to talk about how Labor will look after health, you've got to go no further than the Queensland state Labor government. What have we got there? Public health waiting lists blowing out by 57,000 people. Ambulance ramping at South-East Queensland hospitals is worsening, maternity ward closures are putting bush babies at risk, there are long waits for cataract, hip and knee operations—it goes on and on and on. Labor has no leg to stand on when it comes to aged care and health. Their record at the state government level is shocking. Their record of looking after retirees is shocking. Despite Labor's plans for an extra $387 billion in new taxes at the last election, there is no additional funding in costings for home-care places or any additional funding for aged-care quality, workforce or residential aged care. With Senator O'Neill it's a bit of a case of the pot calling the kettle black, I think.

In response to the royal commission's call for urgent action in October 2019, the government announced a funding package of $537 million. Of this package, $496 million is for an additional 10,000 home care packages for those with the highest needs, to reduce wait times and to connect people to care sooner. And that's one of the reasons—I touched on this the other night—why it's very important to encourage a parent to stay at home. Not only do they look after the children; they can also help to look after their parents, which will give the parents greater confidence in staying at home rather than having to move into an aged-care facility. The government should work with families to make that happen.