QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator McALLISTER (New South Wales—Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) (14:37): Thank you, Senator Pocock, for the question and for advising me of your intention to ask it. In terms of those waiting for a Support at Home place, as at 31 December, there were 94,963 people in the National Prioritisation System waiting for the allocation of a place.

In terms of the waitlist for assessment, as at 31 December, 103,527 people were waiting for an assessment. Senator Ruston: In December. It's May.

Senator McALLISTER: Senators will understand—and I think this is a shared value across the chamber—that older Australians have spent their entire lives contributing to their communities and caring for their families, and they should be supported to access the care that they need to grow older with comfort, dignity and respect. That is why we have made the investments that we have made from government.

When we came to government—and I'm listening to the interjections from Senator Ruston—the aged-care system was not built for the population we have today— Senator Ruston: That's not true. The PRESIDENT: Senator Ruston, I have called you. Senator McALLISTER: and not for the population we can expect to have in 10 or 20 years.

Everybody will remember how the royal commission described the system that was administered by those opposite as one characterised by neglect. Since coming to government, we have set about compressing a decade's worth of reform into a three-or-four-year period. We've invested more in three years than those opposite invested in their 10 years in government, and we've invested over $4.3 billion in the new Support at Home program.

These are facts that those opposite don't wish to hear, but this is important work that the government takes seriously because we respect the contribution made by older Australians, and we're determined to provide the services that they require. The PRESIDENT: Senator Pocock, first supplementary?