UnitingCare Australia, together with the UnitingCare Network, welcomes action on aged care in Parliament House today by the Federal Government and the Federal Opposition.

“The tabling of the new Aged Care Act opens the door for much needed reform. The number one recommendation of the Royal Commission was a new Aged Care Act, so we welcome this crucial step forward today,” said Claerwen Little, National Director of UnitingCare Australia.

“Yesterday we brought the voices of the people we serve directly to Parliament House with our CEO Advocacy Day. We thank all those who took time to meet with us and we look forward to continuing these important conversations.

“We also welcome the Government’s long awaited response to the Aged Care Taskforce report. The detail is yet to be unpacked, but if we get this new funding model right, and we must, it will allow providers to offer more homecare services, build new homes and refurbish existing ones, offering more beds.

“Every Australian deserves to age with dignity regardless of their financial circumstances and we hope that the legislation introduced today paves the way forward to achieve this.

The Government must ensure that no one is left behind, and provide adequate funding for services to remain viable in all communities, especially in rural and regional locations.

“Today’s announcement is a major step forward in aged care reform and we look forward to working across the Parliament to achieve the best outcomes possible for older Australians both now and into the future.”

About UnitingCare Australia

UnitingCare Australia is the national body for the Uniting Church’s community services, the
largest social services network in Australia. The UnitingCare network supports 1.4 million
people every year across 1,600 sites in urban, rural, and remote communities, with over
55,000 staff and 17,000 volunteers. The UnitingCare network is the largest not-for-profit
aged care provider network nationally, supporting 97,000 older people, comprising 8.5% of
total residential beds and 10% of Home Care nationally.

Media contact: Anna Page, 0432 560 975, annap@nat.unitingcare.org.au