Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister Ludwig. Can the Rudd government explain why it has given such a stingy increase this year in the budget to aged care providers which does not even cover the increase in inflation and is so pathetic that it will not be enough to cover the increase in aged care providers’ operating costs? Given that, how can the government pretend that it actually gives a stuff about aged care when it is forcing aged-care facilities to run into losses and to cut some of their services to the frail and elderly?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think I thank Senator Fielding for his question, although perhaps not for the additional comments that went with it. It is a very important area, and I would hope that Senator Fielding does treat it with the respect that it deserves.

There are many senior Australians in the community who do need adequacy of funding for aged care. Of course, we are providing more funding for services than ever before. The 2010-11 budget builds on the Rudd government’s reform to aged care so that we will build a national aged-care system which will provide better support for older Australians. There will be $10.8 billion for 2010-11, an increase in total aged-care funding of nearly 30 per cent over the last three years. So we have put our money on the table; more than $47 billion for aged care and community care over the next four years.

Funding per resident has increased by more than $6,100 over the last three years, an increase of more than 16 per cent. The government will invest $900 million over the next four years to deliver, and it is about ensuring that we do these things. With the support of the opposition, we will be able to build a national-aged care system with more highly qualified aged-care workers, more aged-care places, more healthcare services and greater protection for older Australians.

I ask Senator Fielding, the opposition and the opposition spokesperson to support those initiatives about ensuring that we do provide for the aged-care facilities, so we do assist those in aged care. The package will also support—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It seems to be that those opposite do not like me talking about— (Time expired)

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the government explain how aged-care providers are supposed to attract high-quality staff to care for the elderly when places such as the Sale Elderly Citizens Village are going to be forced to lose money simply by increasing staff wages by a tiny three per cent because the government funding for aged care is so inadequate? Will the government commit to reversing this disgraceful funding decision?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I have indicated for the previous question, this government does take aged care, particularly the facilities, very seriously. We have provided additional funding for that. We have also looked at how we could ensure that building the aged-care workforce is also undertaken; for the benefit of Senator Fielding, there is better planning of our aged-care workforce. It is important to ensure that the workforce are supported in the aged-care facilities so that they can provide the care that our older Australians do require.

It is about supporting the vital role that nurses play in the skilled workforce to improve the quality of care. The government will invest $523 million to train and support our nurses, including workers in aged care, and it will invest more than $310 million to deliver more than 31,000 training places, more than 1,000 clinical and graduate places and support for aged-care workers while they undertake that training. (Time expired)

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a further supplementary question. Given that Gippsland’s over-65 population is expected to double from 41,000 to 85,000 by 2026 and given that operating expenses such as electricity, gas and water are increasing by 20 to 50 per cent annually, does the government have a proper plan for managing aged care or does it plan to handle it like it has handled its policy on asylum seekers and pink batts—that is, bad policy and policy on the run?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I reject Senator Fielding’s contention. This government has invested more than $900 million over the next four years. It is about a national aged-care system. It is about ensuring more high-quality aged-care workers. It is about ensuring more aged-care places. It is about ensuring greater protection for older Australians receiving care. The package will also support the integration of aged-care systems with local hospital networks. It is about ensuring that we do provide the integration that is necessary across both aged care and the local hospital networks through the government’s National Health and Hospital Network. This government does have a plan to support those in aged-care facilities. Why? Because older Australians do require our assistance. This investment builds on the commitment to maintain the conditional adjustment payment in the forward estimates. That is worth $2.3 billion over the next four years. (Time expired)

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.