Aged care reforms largely agreed on - now it's down to politics
The Australian is reporting that the new Aged Care Act could be put to Parliament today (Thursday), now that the major sticking points between the Government and the Opposition have been ironed out. In The Australian Financial Review, Phil Coorey...
This morning, The Australian Financial Review's Phil Coorey reported the Government has conceded to another demand from the Coalition, agreeing to exempt people on the home care waiting list from the new fee regime. Coorey said both sides of politics are concerned about the political fallout from the proposed reforms. Earlier in the week, he reported the Government had committed to lowering proposed life-time caps on aged care fees to secure a deal with the Opposition. The Government has also backed away from criminal penalties for aged care executives and directors to gain the Opposition's support. All that remains now is for the Opposition to give its approval. In 2023, Peter Dutton indicated the Opposition would give bipartisan support to sensible aged care reforms.
"Both sides need to lose a bit of bark and make a sustainable model," he said at the time.
The Government has firmly expressed its desire to achieve bipartisan support on the Bill before it is put to parliament. "For something as important as aged care, we should be able to work in a cooperative manner and set something down that is structurally sound and that improves care," Aged Care Minister Anika Wells said earlier this year. But the Shadow Minister for Aged Care Anne Ruston has said she wants the Bill put to parliament so it can be debated.
