Senator COLBECK (Tasmania—Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians and Minister for Youth and Sport) (14:16): I thank Senator Keneally for her question, and she's right: the words that were in the royal commissioner's report, I think, do diminish all Australians, because what was found in that report showed that there was a poor attitude to people who are aged in this country. The report also said that something of the order of 50 per cent of Australians in residential aged care don't get visitors. It demonstrated a broad attitude of Australians to senior Australians, and the royal commission's report quite rightly indicated that that attitude had to change. The royal commission's report, as I've said in this place before, put the government on notice, put the opposition on notice, put the industry and the entire Australian community on notice that these attitudes need to change. As I said on the afternoon of releasing the report, the government would carefully consider the matters that were raised, particularly the three items that were considered priorities. They are: the issue of restraint, the issue of home care packages, and the issue— The PRESIDENT: Senator Keneally, on a point of order? Senator Keneally: The minister only has 27 seconds left, and he's repeating information he's previously advised the chamber. I asked how long older Australians will have to wait until there's a formal response from the government, and I'm looking forward to hearing an answer to that question. The PRESIDENT: You've reminded—on the point of order, I was happy to rule, but, Senator Cormann, I'll take your submission. Senator Cormann: On the point of order, when a question on a similar topic is asked, it doesn't make the answer not directly relevant, just because it provides the same information that is still directly relevant to the question that was asked. I would ask you to rule that the minister was being absolutely directly relevant to the question asked. Senator Wong: On the point of order, it is somewhat disappointing that we have to take a point of order to get a government minister to answer when the government will respond to this report. Obviously you will rule, but I would ask the minister to please respond to the question of when this government will respond? The PRESIDENT: We're now ranging into the debate of the merits of an answer. The minister has been directly relevant, in my view, to the first part of the question. Senator Keneally, you have reminded the minister of the final part of the question, but the minister Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: I'm just going to ask for silence while I rule. The broader the question, the broader the answer can be. If a question transverses similar questions in previous days, then the answer inevitably could be similar as well. I cannot rule on the merits of an answer. There's an opportunity to debate that after question time. The minister is being directly relevant, in my view, to the first part of the question asked. Senator Colbeck, you're free to continue. Senator COLBECK: As I was saying, the royal commission made recommendations or asked the government to take action in three particular areas: on the issue of restraint, on the issue of home care packages and on the issue of young people in aged care. The government quite clearly said that we would announce action on those matters prior to Christmas, and that's exactly what we'll do. The PRESIDENT: Senator Keneally, a supplementary question?