AUSTRALIA | Aged care reforms have officially come into effect in Australia, touted as one-in-a-generation changes to the sector.
The Australian Government has officially delivered the biggest aged care reforms in a generation, with the Aged Care Act 2024 and the new Support at Home program now in place.
These once-in-a-generation changes enshrine the rights of older Australians in law and create a system designed to deliver safe, dignified and high-quality care for an ageing population.
The reforms respond to 58 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which exposed a system defined by one word: neglect.
At the heart of the new Act is a commitment to empower older Australians with choice and control over their lives and the care they receive, while setting the system up to handle the challenges Australia will face as our population ages, and the community’s expectations of aged care evolve.
Above all, Australians want to stay in their homes longer. The new AUD 4.3 billion Support at Home program delivers a higher level of care, keeping them connected to the people and places they love.
To meet growing demand, Labor will deliver 83,000 Support at Home places by the end of this financial year.
For those who need residential care, the new Act puts older Australians at the centre of decision-making. Residential care places will now be assigned directly to individuals, giving people the ability to choose the home that best suits them, and the freedom to move if their needs change.
From 1 November, every provider is now registered under a new regulatory model and required to meet strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards. So every older person receives nothing short of the best care.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission now has stronger powers to ensure providers comply with their obligations and act in the interests of older Australians.
“This marks the beginning of a new era for older Australians. With these reforms, we are no longer just patching a broken system; we are fulfilling a promise to deliver dignity, choice and respect to every person who has spent their life contributing to their community and our country,” said Sam Rae, Minister of Aged Care and Seniors.
“The Albanese Government has stared down the challenge of rebuilding an aged care system left to crumble under the Liberals and delivered reforms that will take better care of our loved ones for generations to come.”
These reforms have followed on from previous investment and funding to the aged care sector, including AUD 18 billion to deliver award wage increases for aged care workers, a registered nurse onsite in aged care homes more than 99 percent of the time, which has delivered more direct care for over 250,000 seniors.
This milestone has reflected many years of collaboration and consultation with older people, providers, family members, advocates, workers and nurses across the sector to achieve reforms we can all be truly proud of.
“For decades, too many older Australians faced a system that treated them as passive recipients of care. Now we place them at the very heart of a rights-based system where their voice matters, where quality is non-negotiable, and people can age with purpose and joy,” said Minister Rae.
“We are grateful to every older person, aged care provider, family member and advocate who helped us build this new system, and to the many nurses, care workers, administrators and families who will make it a reality. We know this is not the finish line of aged care reform, but what we have delivered is the foundation of a modern, sustainable system for generations to come.”
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