Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Griff, move:

That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 30 November 2016:

Changes to the Aged Care Funding Instrument announced in the 2015-16 MYEFO and 2016-17 Budget, with particular reference to:

(a) the impact of these cuts on service delivery and the level of care that older Australians receive, including in regional and remote communities;

(b) the impact of these cuts on the sector including the sector's capacity to deliver complex health care, and the ongoing viability of the sector;

(c) the impact of these cuts on state and territory governments, if health systems are required to provide more complex care as a result;

(d) the assumptions and data underlying projections by the Government;

(e) the consultation process with consumers, community groups and aged care service providers in relation to these changes; and

(f) any other related matters.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor will not be supporting this motion. We remain concerned about the impact of the changes to the Aged Care Funding Instrument. We believe that the government should immediately share the full modelling and assumptions on the changes with the sector and engage in a genuine assessment of future aged-care funding. This proposed inquiry, rather than addressing concerns with aged-care funding, would just give the government an excuse to delay engaging on the issue. If appropriate, the Senate Community Affairs References Committee inquiry on the future of Australia's aged-care-sector workforce could deal with this matter if reconstituted after the government has provided the full modelling and basis for funding.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement. I know that I normally should not, but this could have been debated later in the day. I will, therefore, be saving time.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What a most pathetic excuse for not supporting an essential inquiry on cuts that the ALP know very well are going to significantly hit the aged-care sector. We are talking about $1.6 billion. Why do they not want to make sure that these cuts are subjected to the most scrutiny? The quickest way to get the modelling is to have this inquiry. I am gobsmacked that they will not support an inquiry into cuts that will have such a devastating impact.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Siewert be agreed to.