Aged care sector urges new Albanese government to keep reform momentum going
The peak body Ageing Australia has congratulated Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his recent election win and urged his Government to maintain focus on aged care reform, warning that delays could put vulnerable older Australians at risk.
Tom Symondson, CEO of Ageing Australia, welcomed the election result and called for continued bipartisan commitment to overhauling the aged care system.
“We congratulate Prime Minister Albanese on winning the Federal Election and look forward to continuing our work with his government on meaningful, well-designed reform,” he said.
The aged care sector recently celebrated rare political unity, with both the Labor Government and the Opposition supporting the creation of a new Aged Care Act. But Symondson stressed that the hard work is far from over.
“Politicians from all sides came together to put older Australians first and deliver historic reforms—but we’re only just getting started,” he said. “Making the transition to the new Act, tackling the workforce crisis, and ensuring fair access to aged care must now be a national priority.”
One of the biggest concerns among providers is the short time frame for implementing the changes. The new Aged Care Act is due to come into effect on 1 July, but many in the sector say they still don’t have the full picture of what’s required.
“We support the new Act and the charter of rights for older Australians, but the reality is that providers simply don’t have enough time to roll out all the reforms effectively,” Symondson said. “This risks creating mass confusion for both aged care workers and the older people they care for.”
He warned that rushing implementation could set back efforts to improve the system and called for a more practical, staged rollout that would ensure long-term success.
“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get this right and truly improve the lives of older Australians,” Symondson said. “We cannot afford to squander it.”
