The gloves are well and truly off with just one month until the Federal Budget, where the Government is expected to deliver a significant funding injection into Australia’s aged care system in response to the Royal Commission’s recommendations.
The big church groups have formed the Australian Aged Care Collaboration (AACC) which launched a marginal seat campaign in February targeting marginal seats to put pressure on the Coalition and Opposition. Now they have provided a 15-point plan designed to highlight key recommendations that it wants the Government to prioritise.
The group – which comprises Anglicare Australia, Baptist Care Australia, Catholic Health Australia, Leading Age Services Australia (LASA), Aged & Community Services Australia (ACSA), and UnitingCare Australia and represents 1,000 providers – released a new report titled ‘Aged care – the way forward’ on Monday focusing on four priority areas:
- Human rights, access and choice
- Workforce
- Transparency
- Sustainability
In particular, they want the Government to fast-track the legislation of a new rights-based Aged Care Act, funding to remove the home care package waiting list, higher wages for aged care staff and funding for residential care and a 10-year workforce strategy.
Government warned against ‘kicking the can’
In a possible coincidence, 12 aged care consumer peaks also released their joint response to the Royal Commission’s Final Report the same day as the AACC – with a strong message for Government.
The group – which includes the Older Persons Advocacy Network, National Seniors, Dementia Australia and Carers Australia – is worried the Government will only commit to a few recommendations now and save the rest for later.
“The last thing Australians deserve is the Government kicking the can down the road on many of the key changes we need,” COTA Australia CEO Ian Yates AM, said.
“That will not wash with the many hundreds of thousands of older Australians who are looking to this Government to deliver them hope that they, and their families, will enjoy a radically better aged care system than the one we have today.”
They want action on a number of key recommendations in the next 12 to 18 months, including increased transparency from aged care providers, minimum staffing levels, wage increases for workers, stronger powers for the regulator, and a new rights-based Aged Care Act.
The alliance also wants a separate independent implementation taskforce to drive the rollout of the recommendations.
Long-term roadmap needed
Importantly, both groups agree that a clear roadmap is also needed – not just short-term solutions – as well as a wider conversation on how we should fund the system, including greater contributions from older Australians who can afford to pay.
We hope that the Government is prepared to lead this discussion – and commit to the reforms that are required.
As Mr Yates summed up: “This is Australia’s ‘line in the sand’ moment for giving us the aged care system we deserve and expect.”
