Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Senator Ludwig. I refer the minister to a statement made by the Prime Minister during the 2010 election, where she stated, 'If re-elected, further aged-care reform will be a second-term priority for my government.' I also refer the minister to a statement made on the same day by then Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister Roxon, that, 'We will respond quickly to the commission's recommendations.' Given that it has now been six months since the Prime Minister and Minister Butler publicly released the Productivity Commission report into caring for older Australians, how much longer will older Australians be forced to wait to get the government's response to the 58 recommendations?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Fierravanti-Wells for her question. In relation to aged care, the Productivity Commission's Report on government services 2012 covering the 2010-11 financial year was released on 31 January 2012. The report confirms the Australian government's ongoing commit­ment to reforms that will enable the Austra­lian government to build a consistent and unified aged-care system that delivers high quality, accessible and affordable care. The Productivity Commission's final report dealing with caring for older Australians was released, as Senator Fierravanti-Wells indicated, on 8 August 2011. The Labor government is committed to promoting opportunities for positive and healthy ageing. The government recognises—which the opposition failed to do during their years in government—that the future of our aged-care system is on the minds of many Australians, and we are committed to starting aged-care reform in this term of government as part of a broader ageing agenda. The government will use the National Aged Care Alliance as its key partner for sourcing the view of the aged-care sector.

The government held a national conversa­tion with consumers and carers on the aged-care reform through forums across this country, and the first conversation was held in Adelaide on Friday, 19 August last year. The Prime Minister did make it clear that this should be an open conversation, so those opposite should engage in that conversation just as the government will engage with the aged-care community more broadly. (Time expired)

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer the minister to the fact that that under the Rudd-Gillard government there have been no less than 20 inquiries and reviews, including three by the Productivity Commission—each review having its own consultation process and all detailing the need for urgent aged-care reform. Given that the National Aged Care Alliance launched its blueprint and the sector is in crisis, how can this government justify further delay?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Fierravanti-Wells for her first supplementary question. Let's be clear about this: what have the opposition done in their policy development in aged care? Let's look at what the government have done. We have spent more energy, more money, than the opposition and we have looked at how we can ensure aged care is gone through and assisted. We have said that we need to ensure that this reform is right. That is why the Prime Minister has made it clear that this should be an open conversation predicated on four principles. Every older Australian has earned the right to be able to access care and support that is appropriate to their needs. Those opposite want to complain about that. But these four principles are critical to the development of the policy and the reform agenda that is following. Older Australians deserve greater choice and control over their care arrangements. (Time expired)

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given that it has now been 18 months since the Gillard government shunted off aged care for yet another inquiry to the Productivity Commiss­ion and that the long-awaited release of this report, over 18 months, has been used by this do-nothing government as a reason to further delay much-needed reform, why can't the minister advise the Senate when this urgent reform will start, or will this end up being yet another broken promise from Julia Gillard?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): I thank Senator Fierravanti-Wells for her second supplementary question. The only broken promise is from those opposite when they were in government. They failed to reform this area. They failed to provide any funding to this area which would ensure that older Australians would have a choice in aged-care facilities. Under this government there is more than $56 billion in government funding for aged care over the next four years; $38.8 billion in government funding for residential aged care over the next four years; and an estimated more than $12.9 billion in total revenue for the residential aged care industry this year from govern­ment and residents. But the reform is predicated on the four principles that I was enunciating. I would enjoin you to engage in the process, accept the four principles and work with this government to deliver for aged care in the aged-care sector. (Time expired)