PETER STEFANOVIC, HOST: A proposal being put to the Federal Government suggests locking away some of a person's super to fund their future aged care. Let's go back to Canberra now. Joining us live, the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman. Patrick, good to see you. It's a good debate, this one. I mean, not just for the now, but also for the future, because we're all going to need it. And so some of those proposals put forward today. A new levy on top of Medicare. That wealthy Australians should dip into their private savings, which is already happening. But also ring fencing super. What do you think of those ideas?
PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE: Well, I think the first thing is that yes, all of us at some point in our lives are going to rely on those who work in the care economy. And we want to make sure that, when it comes to ageing, that there is a good, sustainable aged care system there for those who need it now and for those who'll need it in the future. That's the reason that Minister Wells and the Albanese Government set up the Aged Care Taskforce to look at all of the coming pressures that are coming down in our aged care system. We didn't want to wait, as we saw in the past, where you wait for a Royal Commission to tell you what's not working.
We wanted to get ahead of things. We wanted to make sure that when the Commonwealth is spending some $36 billion expected this year in the aged care system, that we're both getting value for money for taxpayers, but also making sure that we've got the best possible aged care system. And so what we'll see is people for putting forward a range of different ideas. We're a democracy, and that's how these consultations work, is that people put forward ideas. But it's for the Aged Care Taskforce to review all of these ideas that are circulating to make sure that we get the best possible outcome. Again, as I said, for people who rely on aged care now, and we all want to live a long and healthy life. Hopefully, we all rely on some of those services in the future.
STEFANOVIC: This is going to involve raising taxes, though, right? To raise more money?
GORMAN: Look, I don't want to pre-empt what the Aged Care Task Force will recommend back to government. What we've already seen from government is a substantial, additional investment in aged care. In particular, you saw just a month ago that 15% wage increase for aged care workers, making sure that we can get the workforce that we need to provide these services. But, on speculation about what that taskforce will come back with; we've given them a job. And when we ask people, and it's a really good representative group on that taskforce, we don't want ministers out there saying what they should or shouldn't recommend. We want to hear their best ideas, after they've done that consultation.
STEFANOVIC: Just moving topics onto the Voice, and the Prime Minister tying himself in knots recently to avoid the question of whether or not he supports a treaty. And this just raises concerns, I suppose, from people who may be sceptical of what will come after the Voice if it is successful. Is the Prime Minister killing off your chances there?
GORMAN: The Prime Minister has been incredibly clear about what it is that is on his agenda. That is: constitutional recognition of the First Peoples of Australia through a Voice so that we get better outcomes. Because what we know is that what's happening at the moment isn't working. And when it comes to questions about agreement-making with First Nations peoples; we see states doing that. States that have actually had the longer-standing constitutional powers when it comes to First Nations people. We've got Victoria and Queensland, and I note that it was even noted in the Parliament the other day that the Queensland Liberal National Party, are involved in that process.
In my state of Western Australia and the Perth electorate that I represent, we've already got what is called the Noongar Native Title Settlement. That was seen by some as sort of the first treaty in Australia. It's been a good thing for Western Australia. It was in large part led by former Liberal Premier Colin Barnett, and it's been a good thing for all West Australians because it's given certainty and it's also continued us down that path of reconciliation.
STEFANOVIC: Patrick Gorman, we've got to leave it there. Appreciate it.