To view my full speech and accompanying Motion, please see here: www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansardr/29168/&sid=0277

When will the Pollies stop flapping their gums and do something about it after all they are in the seats of power? BLOODY WELL GET ON WITH IT

Thank you Pat for raising Mum’s poor experience with ‘My Aged Care’ in parliament. I hope Mum’s story and other similar stories along with a Senate Inquiry results in better outcomes for elderly Australians.

Thanks for your advocacy Pat. How we treat our elders shows what kind of society we are.

I was assessed within a month and granted assistance the following month. Probably helped that I have stage 4 cancer. There was also a handover from qld state home assistance which assisted with minor home repairs after I left hospital. I feel following this parliamentarian's speech that I have been truly blessed to receive the care and aid I do.

As sad as this is, the backlog and delays have existed for a number of years), not just since Nov last. First hand experiences from 2017-2024. Biggest tip I have is apply for an ACAT early, even if you think you or your parents don’t think they need it yet. But I will say, when you are in and need help, it can be effective.

Well done Paul. You contained your emotions well and have identified continuous negligence by not only this government, also previous governments, and the ministers responsible and the staff of aged care assessment that has been declining for years in this environment. Accountability needs to have a major broom sweeping so many areas of local, state and federal governments that are ultimately responsible. How a society treats their elderly is reflective of the capacity and accountability of governments. Keep up the pressure. It will be interesting to see the spin applied to your approach.

Oh yes been there for both my parent it had taken close on 1.5 yrs to have my father get a little help for him he is 83 yrs old. The system is shocking but be under the NDIS and you get a hell of alot more care with specialist and OT aids . Sorry but our elderly are more in titled to be cared for in the same scope

The only winners in Aged Care are the providers....I have carers in twice a week to shower my husband ( he has Lewy Body Dementia and no longer walks) Each shower costs $550. He is incontinent and really needs 3 showers a week but theres no funds available. On the new support at home package we can no longer hire the equipment we need ( 2 hydraulic hoists) we have to pay for them ourselves which is $250 per week or purchase them at around $15,000. He was reassessed 2 months ago for funding to pay for the hire, we have been told this week theres an 8 month wait. We are also on a 12 - 18 mth wait for respite... They say, " look after the carers" what a joke, We are both pensioners and I'm exhausted! My health is detioriating as I cant get to any appointments for me....we live out of town so I only get 1 hour twice a week, its impossible to arrange anything in that time! But we carry on.... I'm fearfull of what the future holds as the population ages... The system is not just broken, its shattered! Its Sad that the elderly who have all worked and done the hard yards are being treated this way.....

My 87 year old Aunt has been granted $500 after 2 years of waiting. She has been paying for someone to help shopping, showering and cleaning. She is on her own and can hardly walk. $500 would pay for one visit a year whst a joke 🙁

Thank you Pat for raising an issue so many Australians struggle with daily. Your speech was measured, articulate, respectful and honest. Something rare in our parliament today. I would be interested to learn of the Government's response to your motion. Sam Rae, the current Aged Care Minister response to the many complaints raised in regards to your issue and the Aged Care Assistant Tool Algorithm failure is baffling and seems uncaring. Is it time 'Friends of Parliament Aging Parents'?

Keep up the pressure Pat Conaghan. I am 82 years old and in good health at present and recently widowed. I am fearful for my future and that of others like me.

When my dad needed home care, he received assessment and home care within a week of me calling. That was in Mudgee. When my brother needed to put our mum into aged care in Sydney everything was done swiftly, and efficiently. Currently, you can get respite care or 60 days in aged care at no charge. I worked in Aged care for 5 years, gratefully just before COVID broke out. I honestly don't know what your issue is. I don't understand why some people are waiting months for assessment...possibly because they are expecting payouts/payments? Both my parents were on the pension and we had absolutely NO issues with either home care, assessments or actually residency in a facility.

It took two years for us to get stair rails for 2 stairs after my husband had a fall I had a fall in April spent 4 weeks in hospital and applied for aged care so we could get help I’m still waiting for someone to come and assist me

This came across my feed and I stopped and watched it. Thank you for addressing parliament on behalf of our seniors in need. Same boat for my dad. The assessment earlier this year has so far provided zero help to him. Poor bloke is struggling and the system doesn't care. It's a broken system that no one - who can - seems to want to fix.

Sadly this is true for so many older Australians. No place for them in the acute care setting, residential care sadly lacking and not enough service providers for home care. Sadly those wanting to remain at home are frail aged and need to be in a care setting. Chronic illness impacts the mobility for many wanting to remain at home and partners, if they still have them are also frail. Our health system cannot cope with aged residents. None of this is new it is becoming worse as diseases that were probably classified as life ending are now more chronic. Acute illness are managed more as day or short stay, elderly people aren't always able to recover as fast as younger people. So disheartening to see aged care people shunted out of hospitals, need more rehab for those who can be rehabilitated. Aged care that is available. Palliative care should available for aged palliative patients. The last few months of someone's life shouldn't be spent looking for residential care. As an aging population there is a need to provide palliative or hospice care for so many denied this right.

My mum was assessed. All she needed was handles for shower, toilet and to go outside because of steps. That was 2years ago. We have not heard back and my 80year old dad did the job as me and my sibling were away from them at the time. What's going to happen when they need more assistance that we can't give

This has been an issue since before covid. Covid brought a lot of these inadequacies to light. This is over a decade in the making, probably more than 2 decades. Planning and budgeting is a requirement to find out funding shortfalls and ways forward..

I know the feeling too well my mum was on level four for the care and that was only 12 hours a week I told them I needed 12 hours a day so I could work I put mum into care soon as he went there I lost all funding all care the nursing home said if she had to go to appointment I had to pay like $60 an hour mum's health in the home declined after a while like you said there was no dignity and getting old the way they took her to the toilet or it's horrible for the poor girl the stress of going to the toilet led to lots of other problems mum passed away four weeks ago NC said to me she didn't want to die in the home but I had no choice

Its not good enough. My husbands package was approved after he passed away. Needs to be looked into. Im now in I'll health and struggling to get classified.

Mum was granted her funding 3 months after she passed. She was assessed 14 months before she passed. Dad has been approved for the start up package which is great except there is not enough services available. Can not get anyone to do gardening or maintenance at all. Reasoning given is noone wants to work. There appears to be many staff in administration but not enough people to actually do the hands on caring that is needed. Money is sucked up through administration costs. The whole system does NOT work.

I can relate to this with both my parents. The system puts more pressure on us as children than what it’s worth

When I contacted 'my aged care' to ask for help, and would like someone to come for an assessment, I was told we no longer go into the home to do assessments, they are only done via phone. Govt has stopped a lot of what we can do. She said you sound really good. My answer - shame you can't see me, I no longer can walk without help and definitely cannot stand. Holding on to the bench to make myself a coffee my hand failed me and I burnt myself. ' Reply I got- oh dear that's no good. Well how have you been managing, like a fool my answer was I have very good friends who check on me everyday and a granddaughter who live 45mins away travels to me to get a few groceries. Reply I got, was best you carry on, it is great to have good friends. I might add two of these friends/neighbours had aged care. Because aged care have had their funding reduced, the levels have also changed, now having issues to keep staff.

They just don't care unless it directly affects their loved ones. More could be done. Increase assessors. I'm waiting for my husband to be re assessed after initial assessment 3 years ago. Won't hold my breath. We are one of the lucky ones who got into the we system before all the changes and things became overwhelming. This situation needed to be planned for 20 years ago. Both Governments are responsible.

Ive been assessed, approved for cleaning and lawns etc level1 but we cant get cleaners anywhere near my area as they get more money from NDIS than Aged Care

Give pensioners back the 30% health rebate. Gutless opposition won't even address this issue.

Katrina Tornow-Menzies I am still waiting for funding for my aged care assessment level 7. I was recommended for reassessment back in July last year and it took 8 months for that to happen. At present I receive garden help for 1 hour once a month and domestic assistance for one hour once a fortnight. That’s it and I pay $54 a month for this as I’m on a full pension at the age of 80. I have multiple chronic health problems but have to manage by myself.

Do it harder.....then. We all get old and we're not all rich enuff... Chèers

And what's the new amount of money handed to India,? $245 Million, ,THAT COULD HAVE FIXED THE AGED CARE ISSUE'S. ALBANESE AND HIS TEAM. SHOULD BE SACKED..

Couldn’t get Home Care package, forced into RACF prematurely,

The government should hang its head in shame. Our most vulnerable demographics have suffered too much. It is time to get it right.

Minister Rae has alot to answer for, his presentation on 60 Minutes was full of entitlement, dismissive and disrespectful. The usual politician's refusal to acknowledge the gross abuse of our elderly, deny, deny and deny. Do your job Mr Rae you are paid to be representing the people you are responsible for as per your portfolio. Step up.

Thankyou for raising this issue in the Parliament Pat Conaghan MP. Private Health Insurance is already costly and with this increase some will be forced out of it. Living in a Regional city/ town we need to have this so we can get into hospital when we need to. Not be at the mercy of ever increasing public health waiting lists. Dropping Ancillary cover may be an option, however it shouldn’t be

Thank you Pat, for raising this. Doesn't the government realise it I'll just place a larger strain on an already struggling health system , as many of us drop our very expensive cover. Cover we have to try to be fairer to those who can't afford any health cover.

The state governments should also be unhappy with this announcement. My elderly dad currently in public hospital. We have authorised him to be in as a "private" patient so the hospital gets extra payment. He is in a shared room and gets his tv for free. If more elderly give up private cover then the admin staff won't be running to patients that are being admitted trying to get them to use private cover. State governments will end up paying out more for there public hospital as extra revenue from patients with private cover could dry up.

Thank you Pat. You would think that any progressive government would want as many people as possible with Private Health insurance.

When I started working there was no super, no maternity/paternity leave, no childcare rebates (all great initiatives for families and workers)….but this term intergenerational inequity is divisive which the federal government is using to justify axing the private health subsidies for older Australians. There are benefits for different age groups and to remove the private health care incentive for older Australians will only push more older Australians out of private cover into the public system (run by the various state governments) which will ultimately have a flow on effect to all Australians.

Thank you Pat. Why is it so difficult for the current government to understand the extreme pressure felt by this on an aged pension. We suffer cold showers,no home heating, frugal shopping, all to try to say afloat with rising government costs in regional areas to maintain a modest life at home within a failing health system surrounded by ever increasing costs unmatched by any significant increase in income. WE NEED HELP AT HOME! NOT INCREASED GOVERNMENT LARGESSE OR FOREIGN AID EXPENDITURE. Pensioners have already paid our dues. Let us enjoy a hard earned modest retirement in peace.

Private health for retires is something that takes the pressure off the public system. Just because we struggle to pay for it doesn't always mean that that is always I s what has to be paid. Having experienced both public and private hospitals i can vouch that there is certainly a difference in both.

It seems that for Labor the cost of buying young people’s vote is to be a cost to older people. Decisions made by fast and early aging men in Parliament bent on creating social division.

Thanks Pat-you certainly look after your Cowper-it’s

Our local public hospital was described as an old people's home by a recent in-patient. There aren't enough aged care facilities for a growing demographic. The prediction is that in a very few years older Australians will make up 1 in 4 of the Australian population. Over 65's are around 28% of the current population but take up 44% of public hospital beds. Labor predicts some 44,000 older Australians will drop private health with the new changes. It will most likely be more as insurance companies jack up premiums to compensate for dwindling numbers. Labor should be promoting older folks into private hospitals. If only the Labor cohort had half a brain!

Add my name to the list of over 65's who have held private health insurance for 40 years (full price) and a further 13 with the rebate. The rebate has meant we've remained with the private cover and not become a burden on the public system. More Labor madness that will need reversing.

Bendigo Land and Building Society was formed in 1858, converting in 1995 to Bendigo Bank, to help Australian miners. Maybe we need a similar institution to help older Australians afford a health insurance cover to protect their ageing health. After all, it will eventually help everyone, because you can't turn back time.

The irony is that even Politicians will get old one day. The Labor government clearly doesn’t care about the elderly. My Aged Care is a debacle. Now the government is targeting the elderly through their private health insurance. How can they justify this? I’m middle aged, but I don’t like how this government is treating the elderly who have contributed to Australia their entire life. Thanks Pat for advocating for the elderly.

Looks like I will be dropping my Health Insurance

Thank you for raising this. Do they want an extra overloaded public system as people give up their health insurance. We shouldn’t have to choose between taking medication or eating to pay this bill, some of us need the treatment faster than the public system allows. I don’t want to be a guniea pig for students, have been and done that and have ended worse off

Thank you🙏...though it will fall on deaf ears. So how can this government/circus then justify giving India (to name one) $250 million for a project in India 🤦🏻‍♀️🥵🤷‍♀️

Thank you Pat. Too many people having to cancel their private health will place enormous stress on an already failing health system. And private health whilst great, the gaps one still has to cover to see any specialist is exhorbitant. Please can something be done about this?

Thank you Pat. It's something my husband and I recently discussed and we really don't wish to go use the public health system as such but will inevitably be forced to fo so.

Pat Conaghan MP Thank you for raising our concerns.

Their is no sound reason to take the rebate away from those Australians who wish to look after their heath needs. Is this a way of moving the growing aged population on, because the cost to the economy is going to grow over the next decade and this maybe the way to ensure health care is capped

My Word is my Bond, if lying was a Jail Sentence ol Mate would be Doing 50 Years.🤔

Maybe health insurers should offer special rates for seniors. I can't afford top cover but my policy doesn't cover much or a lot of things I may be needing as I get older. I an nearly 74 and considering just relying on government facilities to look after me. Even the gaps are unaffordable.

Thank you Pat. I hope this government remembers that this older generation paid taxes, got no paid maternity leave, no paid access to childcare, low wages, mortgage repayments at 17% and a lousy $2 a month child endowment.

Well said. I contacted the office of my Federal MP her in SA and I was told by the person who answered the phone that we should be able to manage with the cost of living allowances provided twice a year. Go figure with everything else that keeps going up.

Seems like "government " would prefer older Australians to just die, that way we won't need medical, housing or any other basic needs that we are taking away from the more deserving youth. Just because we have contributed to the wealth of the nation seems to mean we are now "surplus to requirements ".

It’s funny a prime minister has to have something explained to him

Keep fighting the good fight Pat .. so disrespectful of our parliamentary system to not answer questions that deserve answers.

Well spoken.Keep up the pressure.Government is supposed to be series not a circus full of snide remarks & name calling which albo & his team does to shift focus away from policy issues.

The Voice of Reason in the Chambers of Horrors.

Well said, sir , but I guess it fell on deaf ears as usual.

Keep the pressure on, keep holding them to account and extract answers 😊

Albo will commence by opening his mouth and immediately looking to his right. If you are telling truth you have no problem looking at the person who asked the question

Fabulous presentation Senator Conaghan and right on point. And all of it true. Thank you. I doubt the government will review and amend their attitudes however at least it’s been said and we know they know they are just not cutting it.

Albo won't even understand what Pat is saying! 🤣

Well said..👏 Whats Aldo response....ill take that on notice 🤔

It's his latest catch phrase, love the reply.

It's alright for him to call people names ,but when the opposition called him the truth its a different story ,,mummy's boy

His lips were moving

Question time ?When no answers are given. Even worse in Victoria! The kings of spin!

It’s the transparency. You can see right through it 🩻 💩

Thank you Pat for standing up for us 😊

Beautifully spoken Pat. Keep up the good work! 😃👍🇦🇺

Everything you said is 100% correct. My concern is, If this meant as much to him as it should have, he wouldn't need to read from his script. I would have expected a very passionate speech, really telling them how it is.

Well put keep up the pressure! we may get a result!!!

Absolutely correct Pat.

Quote Albo, this is serious parliament not a council

So well said Pat- congratulations

Well spoken .

Well said. Bit over albo's head tho i think

That was excellent Pat