Senate debates
Thursday, 21 November 2024
Bills
Aged Care Bill 2024; In Committee
6:38 pm
Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source
I won't delay the Senate. I accept that it has been a long day and that people are wanting to get away, but I would just like to place on the record my thanks to the colleagues, the Senate, for such intense scrutiny of this bill and work over the last months on the bill, including negotiations with the opposition. This is significant reform. For many it has been years of work. In this place we pass legislation that changes the lives of individuals, and this law will be one of those. I am hopeful, and we are already seeing the changes that have been made since the royal commission's report on improving the aged-care system. It is no longer a system described as one of neglect; it is person centred, is rights based and provides new standards of care and choice for individuals who use it.
I acknowledge the role of the opposition in supporting this bill. It is hard to progress reform in this country. It's not an insignificant reform and it requires compromise; I think that has been reached, through many intense sessions of negotiations! I earlier acknowledged the Senate committee. The Senate committees do incredible work. The number of hearings, submissions and destinations that committee went to in a short period of time should be acknowledged. I thank Senator Marielle Smith, Senator Urquhart, Senator Kovacic and others who attended those hearings.
I acknowledge the department, particularly the officers here today who have done an incredible job advising me and supporting me so that I was in a position to answer questions and who have worked tirelessly for a long time in the area of improving aged care. I also acknowledge the Aged Care Taskforce; I know the minister would want me to acknowledge them and the work they did. They put their shoulders to the wheel to provide us with a blueprint for legislative reform.
I acknowledge the ministers. Minister Anika Wells has led this reform. She is an incredible, competent and capable minister with a very bright future, and the fact that she, along with her senior ministerial colleague, Minister Butler, has been able to land this reform is not an insignificant achievement in her career.
Overall, to all of us who participated in this debate: we have done good work today to make sure that this bill will pass. A new aged-care system will be in place that has older Australians front and centre and, importantly, provides a sustainable pathway for aged-care provision into the future. Thank you to everyone.
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