Transcript: Interview with Stephen Cenatiempo, 2CC - 13 September 2024

TRANSCRIPT

Interview with Stephen Cenatiempo, 2CC

13 September 2024

Topics: Government’s aged care reforms

E&OE…………………………………

Stephen Cenatiempo: Anne Ruston is with us. G'day, Anne.

Anne Ruston: Hey, how are you doing, Stephen?

Stephen Cenatiempo: Very well. Have we got the balance right here?

Anne Ruston: Well, I mean, obviously, the most important thing about the decision yesterday was the fact that we've managed to get the Government to agree to stick this legislation in the Parliament so older Australians and their families, in fact all Australians, can have a look at it and see what the Government's proposing. Because we've been really concerned as the Coalition and the Opposition that all of this discussion has gone on behind closed doors and we think older Australians particularly need to be brought into this conversation. So, let's see what they've got to say when we go to inquiry over the next few weeks.

Stephen Cenatiempo: But there obviously has been negotiation between the Government and the Coalition. The Prime Minister has actually thanked you for constructive engagement on this. So, are you confident that we're arriving at the right legislation here?

Anne Ruston: Well, we sought to get a number of concessions before we could agree to the part of the Act that the Government was requiring us to agree to before they'd put this legislation in the Parliament. So, we fought hard for concessions around grandfathering people who were already in the system, making sure there were caps so that there's certainty for Australians, and also to get a package for rural and regional Australia. We've only agreed to that part of the legislation. We're open to further discussions and debate and amendments on the rest of the legislation, once Australians have had their chance to have a look at it.

Stephen Cenatiempo: So will this legislation actually go before the Parliament prior to the next election? Is there time to actually get this through then, if it's going to committee first?

Anne Ruston: Well, I mean, that's obviously a matter for the Government. I don't get to choose when the election is. But we will go to committee, we will refer this bill to committee next week, as the Senate is sitting next week, and we'll go straight to inquiry. And I would imagine that we would seek, or the Government would seek, to have the Bill debated sometime in October or November when we're back in Parliament, after the committee's reported.

Stephen Cenatiempo: Anne, some self-funded retirees believe that the legislation unfairly punishes them. What's your view on that?

Anne Ruston: Well, we fought really hard to get a better deal for hardworking Australians who have saved for their retirement. Things like making sure that grandfathering was in place so no Australian who's currently in the system, and that could just be somebody who's on a waiting list for a level one home care package, would pay a cent more. We also made sure that we put caps in place so that they know exactly what is being asked of them. We lowered taper rates so that it wasn't quite so - I mean, the Government's proposal was quite extreme about the level of payment that some Australians were going to have to pay. So, we think we've made the deal a lot better for those hard working Australians, but we also need to make sure that we've got a sustainable aged care system into the future so that we can provide that dignified care, the kind of care that older Australians are now expecting, and most particularly making sure that older Australians who want to stay at home will be able to do so.

Stephen Cenatiempo: And that sustainability is indeed key. Anne, really good to talk to you this morning. Thanks for your time.

Anne Ruston: My pleasure, Stephen. Thank you.

ENDS