About the new Act
The Royal Commission found that the current Aged Care Act 1997 is no longer fit for purpose.
We are building a new Aged Care Act to replace existing aged care legislation, including the Aged Care Act 1997 and Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018.
The new Act will:
- Outline the rights of older Australians who are seeking and accessing aged care services.
- Create a single system entry point, with clear eligibility requirements.
- Incorporate a fair, culturally safe single assessment framework.
- Support the delivery of a range of aged care services, including new in-home care services.
- Establish new system oversight and accountability arrangements.
- Introduce a new approach to regulating aged care to increase provider accountability and encourage delivery of high quality and safe aged care services. The new approach will also strengthen enforcement powers of the aged care regulator.
The Australian Government is planning to introduce a new Aged Care Act for commencement from 1 July 2024, subject to parliamentary passage.
Who we are working with
We have been working closely with the aged care sector, older people, their families and carers to develop the policy in the new Act that reflects the needs of older people. We will continue to consult with the Council of Elders, National Aged Care Advisory Council, sector and consumer reference groups and experts on the drafting of the new Act.
Consultation
We welcome input and feedback from older people, their families and carers, and the sector as we finalise drafting of the new Act.
In August 2023, we released a consultation paper and other resources to seek feedback on the proposed foundations of the new Act. Feedback will inform the final draft legislation for the new Act, which will be released at the end of this year for public consultation.
Further consultation activities will be available on the Aged Care Engagement Hub.
For upcoming engagement opportunities, subscribe to the Your Aged Care Update (for providers) or EngAged (for older people, their carers, and families) newsletters.
Contact
