Legislation to amend the Aged Care Act 2024 was introduced into Parliament on 17 September 2026. This is an exposure draft of an amendment to the Aged Care Rules 2025.
About the escalation pathway
The escalation pathway provides an additional review mechanism for exceptional circumstances where an older person’s ageing-related needs may not be fully reflected through standard assessment arrangements. It enables certain home support decisions to be reviewed and set aside by departmental officers, as delegates of the System Governor.
Summary of amendments
The draft amendments insert a new Part 4A to Chapter 2 of the Rules, which set out how the escalation pathway would operate. This includes what information must be provided, how reviews are conducted, and the matters that may be considered when making a decision.
Read the exposure draft on the aged care assessment escalation pathway.