Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm really happy to stand up tonight and talk about the fantastic work of Meals on Wheels. Parliament House played host to this great Australian organisation last week, and I took the opportunity to meet with the general manager of Meals on Wheels Moreton Bay Region, Wendy Smith, and their president, Kate Vromans. Meals on Wheels originally began in Britain during the Second World War and first started its work in Australia in 1953 in Melbourne. Today there are almost 600 outlets providing meals to more than 200,000 Australians. Meals on Wheels is one of the nation's largest volunteer organisations, with more than 45,000 active volunteers delivering meals and social connection with older Australians.

I've been associated with Meals on Wheels for many years now. Before being elected to the Senate, I used to appear regularly as a political commentator on channel Seven's Sunrise program. I was paid a fee, but, when I was elected, I obviously could no longer accept payments and asked that channel Seven donate my former fee to Meals on Wheels. Ultimately, that raised about $35,000 for Meals on Wheels Pine Rivers, which was used to buy new kitchen equipment.

Demand has increased not only from Meals on Wheels's traditional clients but also from vulnerable people not captured by government funding programs—for example, those under 65. This is putting a lot of additional pressure on the organisation at a time when their resources are already under strain. Meals on Wheels is already grateful to receive support and donations from the public. I'm working with them to set up some community fundraising ideas in Queensland. What they need, however, is funding certainty from government to ensure their sustainability. It's not only demand for their services which is growing; the costs of providing them are soaring too. These include food, insurance, fuel, training, equipment and more paid staff needed to ensure Meals on Wheels is compliant with relevant regulations and law. Fuel alone cost Moreton Bay Region approximately $62,000 last year.

Government funding for Meals on Wheels comes mostly through the Commonwealth Home Support Program. For Meals on Wheels in Queensland, this works out at $8.25 per meal, and this is not enough to cover their costs anymore. In other states the funding per meal is sometimes higher but still not enough. Funding per meal for Meals on Wheels in Queensland needs to rise. Sixteen dollars would be ideal. Twelve dollars would probably do for now.

I see this as an investment in preventive health care for older Australians. Meals on Wheels delivers nutritious meals, ensuring their clients are eating healthily. This can make a stark difference between ageing well and ageing poorly, and can have implications for health and aged care funded by the Australian taxpayer. With the cost of living having risen so sharply in recent times, this is critical for many older Australians on fixed incomes like the age pension. As Meals on Wheels tells me, a lot of older Australians are skipping or sharing meals to help make ends meet in this crisis. It's also taken a toll on older Australians' mental health. People looking to make ends meet often need to curtail spending on social outings, which increases their isolation, and the financial issues cause stress too. Meals on Wheels volunteers also offer the social connections that many older Australians need and serve as a regular check on their clients' day-to-day welfare.

As I said before, Meals on Wheels is a great organisation that has served Australia very well for more than 70 years. Governments and communities should do all they can to ensure this Australian institution endures and continues to provide, long into the future, the service and support that so many people depend upon. So, if you can and you want to shout an aged Aussie a meal, contact Meals on Wheels. Put your name down. Maybe it's $10 a month, but that's one meal for that person. You never know; one day you might be in their shoes. Remember: these people were born in the days of wartime.