Sussan Ley is back:
My question is to the Minister for Aged Care. In March 2021, the now Prime Minister said, “We cannot be satisfied with a situation where older Australians are dying while waiting for their home care packages”. The minister was sworn in on May 13 this year. Since that date, how many elderly Australians have died waiting for a home care package?

Milton Dick has to warn the chamber after that one, including Tanya Plibersek.

Sam Rae:

It is always saddening to hear of older Australians, whether they are in care or awaiting care passing away. I extend my deepest condolences to any family who faces that affliction. The decision to briefly defer the aged care act was a difficult one that I made in consultation along with my colleagues and the Minister Butler and I announced that brief deferral. We did it after an extensive consultation. When I first became the minister, I spent many days, weeks, speaking to older people across our country, speaking to the workers who care for them, speaking to the providers who provide the care. The overwhelming feedback that was provided was there needed to be a brief deferral to ensure the continuity and quality of care for older Australians. Now, some months have passed since then, but it would perhaps be helpful if I were to refresh the parliament’s memory about how that were received.

There is a point of order on relevance from Ley.

Rae follows that up with:

I think I want to provide one of these most important quotes from the period where the decision was made. “The decision to delay the start date for the new aged care reforms is the right decision for older Australians, aged care providers and home care operators”.
This is a quote that I think concisely and clearly summarises that decision and its impact on older people and the sector across Australia and it’s a quote from the media release published by the Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Ruston.

Rae has decided he has concluded his answer.