Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability's report into COVID-19 found that the Morrison government was responsible for significant failings from the onset of the pandemic. The royal commission heard evidence that a disabled woman was bedridden for nine days, surviving only on muesli bars with no help for meals or care. How many Australians living with disability were left behind by the Morrison government and forced to survive without meals or care?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bilyk for her question on a very important issue—that is, the respect with which we treat all Australians, particularly those who live with disability. For that reason, the government welcomed the interim report of the disability royal commission. We believe that absolutely everybody, but most particularly the government, has a huge role to play in stamping out violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability, so we thank the royal commission for the work it does. We set up the royal commission because we wanted to shine a spotlight on what is going on and to make sure that some of the actions of the past didn't happen in the future.

I also acknowledge—and I hope everybody else in this chamber acknowledges—that this year we saw a once-in-a-century pandemic hit our country and we acted as quickly as we could with every resource that was available to government to support all Australians and to make sure that, in the first instance, we put in place the health protections that they needed. We acknowledge that the pandemic was traumatic for all Australians, but it clearly was particularly traumatic for those people who live with disability.

Senator Steele-John interjecting—

Senator Steele-John, I absolutely acknowledge that. I take this opportunity to assure all Australians, particularly Australians who live with disability or who look after and care for people with disability, that this government has them front of mind. I'm happy to go through the list of consultations that I've had with the disability sector over the last nine months. I thank the disability advocates, in particular, for their amazing work. This has been an extraordinarily hard time for them. I congratulate them on the engagement they've had with the government to make sure that we look after people with disability. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bilyk, a supplementary question?

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The royal commission also heard evidence from another woman who went for four days without a support worker, amid fears she and her husband had been exposed to COVID-19. She said:

I just couldn't get PPE anywhere.

…   …   …

… I saw Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying that PPE was being provided and I was like, "Hello, where is mine?" There was none.

How many Australians living with a disability were left behind by the Morrison government when it failed to provide them with the PPE they needed to stay safe?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Certainly one of the things that was absolutely a priority was to make sure that we moved with great speed so that nobody got left behind and nobody was forgotten during this pandemic. The other side quickly forgets how extraordinary the circumstances were that we found ourselves in in March this year. Can I also acknowledge the respectful and collaborative way in which those at the other end of the chamber sought to work with me to provide me with information so that I knew what was going on in the sector. They didn't seek to come in here and publicise it. I acknowledge Senator Steele-John particularly, who picked up the phone regularly to raise issues with me that were of great concern to him, and we did our best to make sure that we resolved those. Just as a matter of some interest, I'd also point out that the royal commission did not speak to those who I would probably consider to be the two most senior public servants. It did not speak to the deputy secretary, disability or the CEO of the NDIA to get more information about the issues.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bilyk, a final supplementary question?

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If that's your best work, I'm a bit worried. Under the Morrison government, vulnerable Australians—from those in residential aged care to those living with disabilities—have been left neglected and abandoned by Mr Morrison. Why is Mr Morrison leaving behind Australians living with a disability and failing to keep them safe?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would completely reject the premise of the question that has just been asked of me, because I can assure you that the Morrison government worked tirelessly to make sure that no Australian would be left behind. But, as we recognise, the situation that we all found ourselves in this year was a once-in-a-century pandemic. I can tell you what I did, as the minister who has broader responsibility for disability, as opposed to the NDIS. I worked with the disability sector. I had numerous meetings, and I'd like to shout out to Ben Gauntlett, who is our Disability Discrimination Commissioner, for the extraordinary hard work that he did, along with the advocacy groups, to make sure that the voices of people with disability were heard during this time so that we could respond to the specific needs. Clearly, every Australian was faced with a situation that they had never seen before, and we worked very well with the disability sector. I acknowledge the huge amount of support they gave me.