Senator GREEN (Queensland) (15:23): Labor knows exactly what it stands for. We stand for people with disabilities getting the services that they deserve and that they need. Seventy-seven thousand Australians with disabilities are missing out, and $4.6 billion has been underspent by this government. In question time, they want to parade around, do their victory lap and talk about all of the great things that they've done, but they don't want to talk about this. They want to talk about anything other than the $4.6 billion that they have underspent. It is very disappointing to have to rise and talk about this, but it gives me a chance to make sure that this Senate knows that this is a particular problem in regional Queensland. We have people on waiting lists in regional Queensland who cannot wait any longer. In Far North Queensland, people with disabilities and their families cannot get the services that they need and that they deserve. That is not because they live far away from a capital city or because they live in a regional area where we can't get staffing; it's because this government has failed to make this a priority. It has made its choice and it has not backed people with a disability. We have some incredible providers and families in Cairns, where I live, and it has been an honour for me to meet them and to talk to them about this issue. I had been doing that for a long time before the election and I will continue to do that as a senator based in Cairns. One of the things that I spoke to people about, providers particularly, was what they felt this underspend said to people with disabilities and vulnerable people. I asked them, 'What message does that send to people with a disability?' They said that of course it was disappointing. But they also said it says to vulnerable people that the government doesn't care. The people that I spoke to—the providers, the people with disabilities and the carers—were quick to point out that they didn't want to make this a political issue, but they had no choice, because this government is playing politics with the lives of people with disabilities. They shouldn't have to wait any longer. There's a particular person in Far North Queensland that I'd like to talk about today. His name is Stevie. He has Down syndrome and he is the brightest, most beautiful person you will ever meet in your life. His carer, his mum, Margie, is someone who gives every single ounce of her life and time in her day to make sure that Stevie has the activities and the services to make his life better. It really does break your heart to listen to stories like that of Margie and Stevie. Stevie is a big fan of CrossFit and loves to do lots of exercise and services, and they can't get the services that they need in Far North Queensland. They live up on the tablelands; it's even further from Cairns. The workers just aren't there. The reason that that is the case is that this government has not prioritised investing in services and lifting the staffing cap. I want to make note of one more thing that question time today made evident once again: this minister is not up for the job. Senator Ruston failed to answer questions about the $4.6 billion underspend of the NDIS. This is on top of comments around the pension being generous. She won't commit to raising Newstart. This government doesn't want to hear about it. Then, a few weeks ago, we found out that she didn't know that people in Townsville were receiving robo-debt notices. When it comes to vulnerable Australians, the government either don't care or don't want to know. They are not up to the job of looking after vulnerable people. This minister and this government are part of a characterisation of cruelty, hiding facts and hiding things in budget papers because they don't care. It's always the way with this government. You open up the budget paper and there it is: the truth; the facts that they're trying to hide. It's the same with infrastructure funding and it's the same with this $4.6 billion of underspent money in the NDIS. Those 77,000 Australians deserve better than this government and better than the performance they saw in question time today. (Time expired) Question agreed to.