Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

These questions go to aged care, and I think it's quite fair for me to say that Labor's record on this issue of aged care is patchy at best. Their record on health overall is, in fact, very poor. We only need to look back at their history when they were in government to see that. So far be it from them to come into this place and lecture this government, which has done a remarkable job, in collaboration with the states, over the last two years to weather and deal with the issues of health related to the pandemic. Of course, I could go on about the way the economy is tracking in Australia right now compared to the rest of the world. But on health we are arguably in the most enviable position of anywhere on the planet.

A lot of senior Australians were impacted by the failures of Labor to continue support for the PBS, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. In government, we have listed a record number of drugs on the PBS, supporting all Australians, particularly older Australians. Older Australians have a greater need for drugs that are listed on the PBS. It's our management of the economy—keeping the economy strong, with a budget that's able to support the listing of these medicines on there—that has meant that older Australians in particular have been very well supported. Since 2013, the coalition has approved nearly 3,000 new or amended listings on the PBS. This represents an average of around 30 listings or amendments per month, or one each day—an overall investment of $14 billion by the government.

We do acknowledge that there are issues in the aged-care sector. That's why, right now, we have provided 80,000 shifts of surge workforce around Australia. We have not spared any expense to support the sector. That's why we have recognised the sector with special $800 bonus payments. I just want to pay tribute to those who are working in the aged-care sector. I have been surrounded by family who have worked in this space. My grandmother, who is now retired, is one of the most special people in my life and she worked in the aged-care sector for pretty much her entire career. My sister works in the aged-care sector. She's a registered nurse in a wonderful facility in the south of Perth. I know that aged-care workers are some of the most dedicated people. They do the job because they love the job. We acknowledge that they aren't the highest paid occupations. They turn up every day because they care about their jobs, they care about the people that they are serving and they really do make a difference. I know they are rewarded by the fact that they are doing wonderful, wonderful work. But we recognise that they have been challenged over this period. The government recognises that and, more importantly, is helping those employers and service providers to retain staff. Having gone through the fatigue of dealing with particularly the pandemic, it's important that they are able to retain as many staff members as they can. This $800 bonus, spread across a couple of payments, is aimed at really helping them to address that.

It's interesting that there were questions that went to wages. The Labor Party, at least here in the Senate, probably need to check their notes on what has been said in the other place, because Mr Albanese actually said that he supports the process of going through the Fair Work Commission. That's the commission Labor set up. They set up some of that framework that we now have. It's an independent process. Anthony Albanese, the Leader of the Opposition, has not provided any amount that he will go to if he becomes the leader of the government. He hasn't said what it would cost. He hasn't said what impact he would make. Why is that? It's because he is all about politics. He's just about presenting a political narrative rather than actually addressing the issue. If he named a price, he would have to cost it. He doesn't want to do that ahead of an election because his costings are always unfunded— (Time expired)