Today the Aged Care Bill 2024 was successfully passed by the Senate. While it still needs to return to the House and be given Royal assent, we expect those steps to be done easily without further revision. This is a HUGE development - a truly once-in-a-generation reform!
At the heart of this new legislation is a rights-based framework—the cornerstone recommendation from the Royal Commission into Aged Care. Alongside this, the Act delivers on numerous other recommendations to ensure quality, person-centred care for older Australians.This milestone is a testament to the collaboration across our sector—providers, unions, workers, parliamentarians, and consumers—who came together to prioritise the needs of older Australians.
While this is a moment to celebrate, it’s just the beginning. As we look ahead, realistic timeframes, robust support, and adequate funding are critical to navigating this transition and overcoming challenges such as workforce shortages and financial sustainability.
The work is by no means over, as we still need to review all the subordinate legislation (aka the rules) and prepare for a 1 July 2025 implementation. But this is a moment to acknowledge. Thank you to all players involved in the laborious work of negotiation.
Read Aging Australia's media release here.