On 25 March 2026, I made a speech on Aged Care failures.
Transcript:
Ms WATSON-BROWN (Ryan)
We all like to imagine that we’ll be cared for when we get older, and that we’ll be able to access the support we need, when we need it. In a wealthy country like Australia, that is not too much to ask.
But last year, the Labor government did a dirty deal with the Coalition, that protects for-profit aged care providers, and makes life harder for older people and their families.
Many older people must pay more for the care they receive, or simply make do with less care. With long delays for receiving funding, shamefully, tragically, people will die while they wait.
The Greens opposed this scheme at the time, and sadly, since these changes came into effect, I have heard truly heartbreaking stories about the suffering these changes have caused.
Many Ryan residents have been in touch with horrid stories.
One told me her elderly father has recently suffered a stroke, and has been classified as needing the highest level of Support at Home funding, level 8. However, under the new laws, he still has an 8-9 month wait for funding to arrive.
This constituent says “there is a high likelihood my father will die before his funding comes through.” These are the harsh, tragic realities that the government has imposed on people, at the stage of life when they should be being looked after.
Not only is the policy itself bad, but the roll-out has been atrocious. One constituent wrote to me regarding her 82 year old step mother, whose funding for vital care services has been consistently delayed.
They said, “It seems to us that the government is trying to manage costs by agreeing people need and are entitled to a package, but then withholding the money in a sneaky and non-transparent way.”
1 in 3 big corporations in Australia are getting away with paying no tax, but instead of going after them, Labor and the Coalition are going after older people - who’ve worked hard and paid their taxes all their lives - older people just trying to get the care that they need to survive.
The Greens forced the government to release 20,000 home care packages early, but that is not enough.
We have won two Senate inquiries into the changes, one of which is still accepting submissions until July.
If you have been affected by these changes, consider making a submission so your story is heard. The Greens and I will continue to hold the government to account for the damage they have caused to so many people and their families.