TRANSCRIPT:
20,000 older Australians are to get earlier access to a home care package, after the government approved their early release.
When faced with the prospect of its first Senate vote loss since the election, t he Albanese Labor government succumbed to opposition demands and avoided an embarrassing defeat.
After delaying the rollout of extra home care packages until November the 1st, the government claimed the pause was needed to help the industry prepare.
As of March 31, over 87,000 were on the waiting list for a home care package, and Shadow health and aged care minister Anne Ruston says that number is still growing.
"24 months ago, that amount was 28,000 older Australians. It is now 108,000 older Australians. 24 months ago, the average wait time for Home Care Packages was between one and three months. Today, it's between nine and 12 months.”
Fiery debate over the delays came amid revelations that one older Australian is dying every two hours while awaiting the level of home care they need.
In 2021, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended that the government significantly increase the number of these packages.
The commission found in-home care can prevent avoidable declines in health and independence, as well as delay or prevent people moving into residential aged care or hospitals.
Anne Ruston says the human cost of these delays cannot be ignored.
"So today in the Senate, we stand with those 108,000 older Australians. Older Australians like Margaret, who told us on Friday that her husband Tony, had waited nearly 18 months for a home care package. And the cruel irony is that Tony received his home care package three days before he passed away and Margaret told us she didn't have the heart to tell Tony he got his home care package. "
In the Senate on Wednesday, the Coalition, Greens and crossbench voted together to support an amendment put forward by Independent David Pocock.
Senator Pocock's amendment proposed 20,000 additional home care packages should be released between now and November the 1st.
"Imagine if the government was actually in a position to do something about it? Imagine if you could change the lives of 20,000 older Australians, before November 1. Which we heard on Friday, there is capacity to do. I urge the government to support my amendment to release 20,000 home care packages now, given there is a great need for it."
Labor opposed the amendment, arguing the sector was still not ready to deal with the influx of packages.
But within hours of recording their opposition in the Senate, Health Minister Mark Butler announced an agreement had been reached with the Coalition.
"I'm pleased to announce that I think we've reached a position where we can support the position of Senator Ruston in the Senate when it comes to a vote over the course of today, I think, I don't really speak Senate, but I think the vote will be over the course of today, we will be supporting the position that Senator Ruston has outlined, that's something we think is very consistent with the approach we've taken to build a new aged care system. That will mean that there will be 20,000 additional Home Care Packages r released between now and the end of October, which is the last time the last date before the new aged care system comes into effect."
When announcing the reforms' deferral to November 1st, the government said supporting regulations weren't quite ready for consideration in time to allow older people, providers and the workforce to prepare.
Mr Butler maintains staffing is an issue, but says the government has now heard from the sector that they can provide those packages.
Throughout the debate this week, Ms Ruston has consistently said the sector had signalled their readiness.
Opposition leader Sussan Ley says this was not a deal, but a defeat.
"Labor has been dragged kicking and screaming to implement what we have spent this week demanding that they do: put in place the promised aged care packages for elderly and vulnerable Australians congratulations Senator Ruston. You fought the fight on the floor of the senate. We've got a little way to go but you've received those commitments."
Defending Labor, Mark Butler says Anne Ruston, who has been the Coalition's aged care spokesperson since 2012, has herself had a role to play in the sector's woes.
"Those opposite, Mr Speaker, did worse than nothing. In 2012 we set up a rolling process of reforms that I agreed with Mr Dutton, that would get this sector ready for the aging of the baby boomer generation. A rolling series of reforms that was derailed in the middle of the last decade and I wonder Mr Speaker who the Minister was?"
By choosing to adopt the Coalition's amendment, Mr Pocock was pushed out of the deal.
When asked about his exclusion, Mr Pocock says it's part of a larger effort by this government to cut out the cross-bench.
"The government knows that, people who actually listening to their community and saying, hey this capacity for 20,000 home care packages now let's push this, and you know the whole community got behind that, the sector, older Australians, families, they don't want to give any credit. I'm happy to give credit to the minister for actually making this call."
The head of National Seniors Australia, Chris Grice, welcomed the decision and says he's glad that care, and common sense, prevailed.
" You know, unfortunately, care and concern needs to be at the heart of this government. Yes, there are economic realities, but in essence, we need to make sure that older Australians are looked after and so that their interests are protected and they are supported. So we're pleased that common sense has now prevailed and the necessary funding is being made available to get those packages in place."
