QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:00): It is the case that we were concerned, in opposition and in government, about support for our elderly Australians and improvements that needed to be made in the aged-care sector. I believe there was cross-party understanding that the sector needed to change and to reform, and the government has sought to do that.

We've made changes to improve the aged-care assessment system. The system is less than a year old, and I know the minister has announced two important improvements, in particular, to the way aged-care assessments work. I'm advised that there is a rapid— The PRESIDENT: Senator Ruston?

Senator Ruston: On a point of order on relevance: I merely asked the minister whether the Prime Minister still stands by the comments he made in 2022 or whether he has changed his mind. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Ruston. The minister is being relevant to your question.

Minister Wong, please continue. Senator WONG: Senator, you have worked in this sector and you know the problems of the old assessment processes. They weren't fair or consistent and Australians were left waiting.

We tripled the number of homecare packages—420,000—by the end of the financial year; it's triple what was provided in 2020. Secondly, it is the case that we know that the ageing of the population means that the number of people needing help at home is increasing. We are working to bring down wait times across the board— The PRESIDENT: Minister Wong, please resume your seat.

Senator Ruston: On a point of order of relevance: my question was very simple. It didn't stray to any of the things the minister is talking about. I'm wondering if you can bring the minister back to the specific question that was asked of her.

The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Ruston. The minister is being relevant to your question. Minister Wong, please continue.

Senator WONG: Senator, you asked me about an aged-care package. I'm entitled to tell you what we are trying to do on aged-care packages, and I would have thought you'd be interested. What I would say is that wait times have been coming down for Support at Home places since the new system started in November.

Of course, we absolutely want to deliver the care people need. (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator Ruston, a first supplementary?