Australia’s aged care provider peak bodies have come together to support calls for the Federal Government and Opposition to urgently prioritise the new Aged Care Act in Parliament this week and address critical issues facing older Australians and the services that support them.

In 2020, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety highlighted the need for a new Aged Care Act as its top recommendation, and earlier this year the Aged Care Taskforce proposed a clear way forward for fairer funding.

This may be the last opportunity in which the Act can be introduced to Parliament to ensure timing for proper parliamentary process and public consultation. All parts of the Bill must be introduced into this once-in-a-generation reform: rights, Support at Home, and fair, sustainable funding.

ACCPA, Anglicare Australia, Baptist Care Australia, Catholic Health Australia, and UnitingCare Australia together represent more than 1,000 organisations that are responsible for about 70 percent of the services delivered to the 1.3 million Australians receiving aged care, both at home and in residential setting.

The importance of the new rights-based Aged Care Act cannot be overstated. If action is delayed any further, older people and the dedicated providers who support them, cannot be assured of the future of aged care in Australia.

Older Australians deserve dignity, respect, and access to quality care. Only through bipartisan support can reform of this magnitude and of this importance to the Australian people progress.

Media contact: Peter O’Dempsey, ACCPA, 0467 770 245