3m agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 5:09am

Rae won’t be drawn on research linking home care package waits with increased mortality

Liberal MP Simon Kennedy has continued on the theme of aged care today.

He’s asked about about research showing people waiting longer than six months for a home care package had an 18 per cent higher chance of death than those who waited 30 days or less.

Aged Care Minister Sam Rae has stepped up very quickly and referred the member to his previous answers.

“I’ve canvassed these matters extensively over the last couple of days. I refer you to my previous answers,” Rae says.

9m agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 5:04am

Butler pressed on regional health spending

After a dixer that Jim Chalmers packed in a reference to My Kitchen Rules (yeah, I know), Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie lobs a question about gap on health spending between regional and metropolitan areas.

Health Minister Mark Butler responds by saying the government is doing all it can to encourage GPs to move to regional areas. He also adds the bulk billing incentive is higher for GPs who practice outside the major cities.

“That goes the same for the bulk billing investments that will take place on 1 November,” he said.

But he acknowledged the “the tyranny of distance” has plagued our healthcare system “for the entire history of our nation”.

16m agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 4:57am

Delay to aged care reforms ‘broadly welcomed’: Aged care minister

Coalition MP Phillip Thompson is up now, and he’s asked the aged care minister when he will apologise to families of elderly people who have died waiting for a home care package.

Aged Care Minister Sam Rae keeps this response short. He says the decision to refer the aged care reforms was “very important”.

He says the delay to the introduction of the aged care reforms was “broadly welcomed”.

“I have canvassed these matters very extensively in the parliament over the last couple of days. I refer the member to my previous answers,” Rae says.

20m agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 4:53am

States working on framework to lift e-bike safety

Sam Rae will be pleased, we’re well and truly away from aged care with the next question.

Sophie Scamps asks Infrastructure Minister Catherine King if she’ll act to ensure imported e-bikes are required to meet minimum safety standards. The independent yesterday introduced her private members’ bill on the same issue.

King says while e-bikes are beneficial to the community there are a range of issues that raise concerns and confirms the WA government is leading a state and territory push for a regulatory framework. 

“It is clear that a broader and coordinated national system is needed for both the safer use and regulation of these devices,” she says.

“It is why at the meeting of state and territory transport ministers last month, I placed this issue on the agenda. At the meeting, state and territory ministers agreed to develop an integrated regulatory framework for these devices to improve rider and
pedestrian safety.

“That work is being led by the West Australian government with support from the National Transport Commission.”

26m agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 4:47am

More questions on home care packages from the opposition

Coalition frontbencher Angie Bell has stepped up to ask a question about aged care.

She’s asked a similar question the opposition leader asked a few minutes ago.

“How many older Australians have died waiting for a home care package since 13 May this year?” Bell asks.

Aged Care Minister Sam Rae hasn’t answered the question but says it’s sad whenever someone dies in care or waiting for a home care package.

He says that’s the reason the government’s reforms are important, so that the community can receive better care.

He’s rattled off points he brought up earlier about needing to delay the reforms until November.

However Bell has stepped in on a point of order, asking the minister to answer the question.

If you joined us on the blog during QT yesterday, you might remember the opposition questioned the aged care minister about which aged care providers called for a delay to the introduction of the aged care reforms.

It seems Sam Rae has an answer. He’s quoted the chief executive of Silverchain and Aged Care Australia for applauding the government’s delay to aged care reforms.

30m agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 4:43am

Albanese pulls receipts when pressed about tractor protest

Nationals MP Anne Webster is up next, asking Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about being followed out of the Ballarat Bush Summit last week by protesters on tractors.

Literally. The PM was heckled at the News Corp event by those protesting a contentious transmission line through the Victorian Central Highlands.

The PM isn’t really willing to engage too much on the idea he was personally chased out of Ballarat over it.

Instead, he pulls up statements made by Angus Taylor when he was energy minister back in 2022 in support for early works on the Victoria to New South Wales Interconnector.

“The protester in Ballarat on Friday were protesting against a program that
was initiated and given regulatory approval by the former government, something that I pointed out at the time,” he said.

A point of order is raised. The PM continues quoting Taylor.

Liberal frontbencher Dan Tehan, who Speaker Milton Dick had repeatedly asked to stop interjecting, was booted under 94a.

“Don’t point to other people,” he told Tehan, who was pleading his excuses to the Dick.

Manager of Opposition Business Alex Hawke got up next, trying to argue that the PM made an unparliamentary remark. Tbh, I’m not entirely sure what the remark in question was.

Albanese said he was upfront with the protesters.

“I don’t lie to them,” he said.

Tehan gets the boot! (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

45m agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 4:28am

How many Australians have died waiting for a home care package?(ABC News: Matt Roberts)

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is back up with another question on aged care, and she’s asked how many Australians have died waiting for their home care packages.

Aged Care Minister Sam Rae says he expresses his deepest condolences to any family who have faced “affliction”.

Rae says while delaying the start date of the aged care reforms was a difficult decision, he says it gives the sector the opportunity to prepare for the changes.

“The overwhelming feedback that was provided was there needed to be a brief deferral to ensure the continuity and quality of care for older Australians,” Rae says.

Ley interjects on a point of order on relevance, asking the minister to directly answer the question.

Rae cites a quote from Shadow Health and Aged Care Minister Anne Ruston, who reportedly said deferring the changes was the “right decision”.

48m agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 4:25am

Bowen concerned by Santos methane leak

Monique Ryan has the first crossbench question today. She gives Sam Rae a rest, asking Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen about the methane leak at the Santos LNG hub in Darwin. 

The facility, as the ABC reported yesterday, has been leaking methane for almost 20 years.

Bowen says he’s concerned by the reports.

“I asked my department to ensure the expert review of methane emission management which I commissioned, the Government commissioned, led by the forum chief scientist Dr Cathy Foley, examines
the matters, ensures it is considered,” he said.

“I will update the honourable member and the House when I have received the report from the forum chief scientist.”

55m agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 4:18am

Rae says govt working to reform aged care system ‘from the ground up’(ABC News: Matt Roberts)

Liberal MP Zoe McKenzie is up now asking a question about aged care and home care packages.

McKenzie has asked whether the aged care minister will continue to withhold the delivery of 83,000 home care packages until November 1.

Aged Care Minister Sam Rae is up again, and he says the government’s reforms to aged care will ensure elderly Australians get the care they need in their home for as long as possible.

“The new system will make it simpler for older Australians to access the right level of care when and where they need it, especially as their needs change over time,” Rae says.

He says the median wait time for an aged care needs assessment from when a referral is issued to when a support plan is completed is currently 25 days.

McKenzie has stepped up on a point of order, asking the minister to answer why he won’t roll out 83,000 aged care packages.

Rae hasn’t responded to the question directly but says it’s the reason why the government is reforming the system “from the ground up”.

“Big reforms don’t happen overnight but we are working hand in hand with assessment organisations, including states and territories, to minimise impacts to older Australians and get them the care they deserve,” he says.

1h agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 4:09am

Another day of questions for Aged Care Minister Sam Rae

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is up first and directs her question back on Aged Care Minister Sam Rae. 

“Was the home care package rollout delay a decision of the minister, a decision of the health minister, or was it endorsed by the cabinet?” she asks.

It’s the second day in a row the opposition has targeted the new frontbencher over a delay in the rollout on home support packages from July to November (the wider aged care reforms were also delayed as well).

The issue has come to a head this week after the Coalition joined up with the Greens and independent David Pocock to put forward amendments to a government bill that would require additional home support packages for older Australians be made available before the planned November rollout.

Back to Rae, who I’m sure is absolutely thrilled (sarcasm) to be getting all this attention.

He repeats much of what he said yesterday. The tl;dr version being: the reforms were passed on a bipartisan basis last year, and the government is delivering “more care to people than ever before”.

“When
the support at home program commences from 1 November this year, the Albanese government will release more than 80,000 additional new home care places in the first 12 months of the program. In the meantime, my priority, as I said before, is ensuring that every older person across our country continues to
receive the services they need,” Rae says.

1h agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 4:01am

Question Time is about to start!

1h agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 3:56am

Wells deflects questions on gambling advertising

Communications Minister Anika Wells has pointed to her colleague Tanya Plibersek for the second day in a row when questioned about the government’s lagging response to a parliamentary inquiry into the harms of online gambling.

It’s been more than two years since late Labor MP Peta Murphy handed down her 31 recommendations, which includes a phased ban of online gambling advertisements, but the government has still not formally responded.

When asked, Wells wouldn’t specify what steps she had to take before officially responding to the inquiry recommendations, but said the responsibility to respond rests beyond her.

Even when specifically asked about online gambling advertising, she deflected and pointed to the responsibilities held by Plibersek and states and territories.

“I am doing the work, in my spaces, about putting a pathway forward and I look forward to giving you an update on that as soon,” she said on Tuesday, adding her office was meeting “regularly” with Plibersek’s.

When asked similar questions on Monday, she again pointed to her colleague.

“Minister Plibersek and I have to pick-up the work that we took over from Ministers Rishworth and Rowland last term,” she said.

“Most of the federal recommendations sit within the social services platform and some sit with me, and so we’ve been continuing that work.

“I’ve got to keep working on it and so does Minister Plibersek.

“We’re having a look at all 31 recommendations, most of which sit in social services, some of which ask state and territories to do particular thing.”

Wells is leading the response to the inquiry.

1h agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 3:35amCrackdown on AI deep-fake pornography apps a ‘line in sand’Anika Wells. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

Communications Minister Anika Wells has described a planned crackdown on apps that use generative AI to create deepfake pornographic images as a line in the sand.

The government doesn’t have a timeframe in mind about when the restrictions will take place but have committed to working with the industry to enforce the restrictions.

She says it will be up to the platforms on how to comply.

“Where I feel like we must go next is shifting the responsibility from people having to report harm after the harm has occurred to stopping the harm from happening in the first place and putting the onus on tech platforms who conduct business in our country’s, use that data, make enormous profits,” she told reporters.

Wells met with representatives of the Let Them Be Kids campaign, alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this morning.

2h agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 3:13am

Transparency advocates wary of plan to weaken FOI

Two experts have weighed in on the plans, which we’ll learn more about tomorrow.

Kieran Pender of the Human Rights Law Centre said:

“Transparency is integral to improving Australia’s democracy, but right now Australia’s freedom of information system is not working. Any steps to the FOI regime must be carefully scrutinised.”

Greg Barns of the Australian Lawyers Alliance said:

“It is undemocratic and will particularly create difficulties for those who cannot afford the fees to access information… Australians are entitled to transparency from government even if it means the release of information that is embarrassing.”

2h agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 2:44am

Greens lash Labor’s plan to make it harder to access government information(ABC News: Matt Roberts)

The Greens have criticised the government’s plan to make it harder to access government documents through Freedom of Information.

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland will introduce legislation this week that would make it harder for journalists and members of the public to access documents related to government “deliberations”.

The proposal would also introduce a mandatory fee to lodge requests.

Greens senator David Shoebridge says Labor is worse on secrecy than the former Coalition government.

Shoebridge says the Greens will not support the government’s changes in the Senate.

“Instead of opening up and having increased transparency today, the Albanese government says that they want to charge people to access information. They want to make it tougher to get access to information,” Shoebridge says.

“We say to the government that using some argument about Russian bots is not going to cut it if you want this legislation through the Senate. We need more transparency not less,” he says.

2h agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 2:41am

Greens urge government to rollout home care packages for elderly Australians(ABC News: Matt Roberts)

Greens senator Penny Allman-Payne says delays to new home care packages are pushing elderly Australians into hospital.

More than 200,000 elderly Australians are waiting to receive a home care package, with 120,000 still waiting to be assessed.

The implementation of the Aged Care Act has been delayed until November 1 because Labor says the industry needs more time to get ready for the government’s reforms.

Allman-Payne says her mother died waiting for a home care package after having an assessment.

“I remember her going for her assessment and being told how long she was going to have to wait, and telling me that she felt like she was thrown on the scrapheap,” Allman-Payne says.

“That’s what it feels like for an older person in this country to know that their government will not look after them in their old age,” she says.

She says there’s no reason why the government cannot roll out home care packages despite the act being delayed.

“Minister Rae needs to act, Minister Butler needs to act, Labor needs to act on this national emergency. And if they won’t act, then the Senate will do it for them,” she says.

2h agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 2:29amPM says not everyone who attended anti-immigration protests were neo-Nazis

Meeting with his colleagues this morning, the prime minister spoke about the rallies on Sunday and stressed that not everyone who attended was associated with neo-Nazis.

That said, he urged politicians to call out racist behaviour and said he was shocked to see people in the black uniform.

Anthony Albanese also raised concerns about how the Jewish and Indian communities appeared to be particularly targeted over the weekend and encouraged MPs and Senators to meet with different multicultural communities when they headed back to their electorates.

Albanese was asked about the active recruitment of people to the neo-Nazi cause.

He said people should be given space to move away from the group and not push them “further down that rabbit hole”.

He also noted that net overseas migration is going down, responding to some of the concerns raised during the rallies on Sunday.

2h agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 2:15amNeo-Nazi’s gatecrashing of Victorian premier’s press conference ‘horrific’: PM

The prime minister has told his colleagues that it was “quite horrific” to hear neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell had gatecrashed the Victorian premier’s press conference.

Jacinta Allan was forced to cut her press conference short when Sewell shouted insults and accusations at her in Melbourne.

Anthony Albanese made the comments to his colleagues this morning during the government’s usual Tuesday morning caucus meeting.

3h agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 2:03amMigration bill set for Coalition green light

Labor’s bill to remove procedural fairness for a cohort of migrants set for deportation to Nauru will pass the parliament with Coalition support, but will go to a short Senate hearing first.

That’s the main bit of news to come from a media briefing held after the opposition party room met this morning.

We’re told by a party room spokesperson that it was a short meeting with no substantial discussion on the three big issues of the week: net zero, aged care and the weekend’s anti-immigration process.

But Sussan Ley did tell colleagues she was inclined not to support Labor’s plan to water down FOI laws, although she and colleagues are yet to be briefed on that plan, set for introduction to parliament tomorrow.

And Barnaby Joyce’s private members bill to repeal net zero will also be introduced in the Senate by fellow National and net zero opponent Matt Canavan.

3h agoTue 2 Sep 2025 at 1:53am

Greens refer Katter outburst to standards committee

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has written to the Speaker of the House and the parliamentary standards committee about Bob Katter’s outburst at a journalist last week.

Katter has not apologised for his behaviour, but instead doubled down, telling Nine Newspapers he should’ve been even more aggressive.

The Greens think Katter should face consequences and have questioned how the government would act if it was a different MP.

We’ll give you more details once we’ve got our hands on Hanson-Young’s letter.