MATTERS OF URGENCY

Senator POLLEY (Tasmania) (17:20): Thank you very much, Acting Deputy President Hodgins-May, for the opportunity to support the suspension motion. It is important to support this suspension motion. I also think it's very important that we remind people of the real facts when it comes to aged care.

For the previous speaker to get up and try and paint this pretty picture of what those opposite did for the nine years that they were in government—they were so good when it came to aged care; they had five ministers and all of them failed! The Liberal government were so bad—and they didn't care about aged care because no-one really wanted to be the minister—that they had to call a royal commission into their own failure.

Why? Because they neglected older Australians. Older Australians were neglected by that government because they didn't care.

They didn't fund aged care. They used aged care as an ATM and ripped money out. That's the reality.

This government, having spent the time in opposition seeing the results of the lack of interest of their government, injected more money into aged care. We have adopted the recommendations of the royal commission—which is why we need to suspend standing orders to have a real debate about the opposition's failures when they were in government. It's very unusual for a government to call a royal commission into their own failings.

I would be ashamed if I'd been a minister for aged care during those years. To stand up and try and rewrite history, to come in here with crocodile tears saying that they care about older Australians—you had the opportunity, decade after decade, when you were in government— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Hodgins-May ): Senator Polley, please take your seat.

Senator Henderson? Senator Henderson: I'm just seeking clarification that the government is supporting the Greens' amendment. Government senators interjecting— Senator Henderson: You're supporting the suspension in relation to the Greens' amendment?

Wow! The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: That's not a point of order, Senator Henderson. Senator POLLEY: I thought I was very clear when I rose and said I was supporting the suspension motion.

I think it is a great opportunity to call out the crocodile tears from those opposite. Those that were in government with Senator Colbeck when he was the minister were very quiet when it came to aged care, and the record will show that. I commend Minister Butler for the work that he did in re-establishing some dignity for older Australians.

We've invested in that. With Minister Butler and Minister Rae— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Polley, please take your seat. Senators, the time for this debate has expired.

As the motion to suspend standing orders to enable Senator Allman-Payne to move an amendment was not agreed to prior to the expiration of time for the debate, the motion to suspend standing orders has lapsed. The question will now be put on the unamended urgency motion moved by Senator Ruston. The PRESIDENT: The question is that the motion is moved by Senator Ruston be agreed to.