The Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, the Hon Sam Rae MP today announced the Australian Government’s delivery of the biggest reforms in a generation, with the Aged Care Act 2024 and the new Support at Home program now in place.

The Minister said, “Today marks the beginning of a new era for older Australians. With these reforms, we are no longer just patching a broken system - we are fulfilling a promise to deliver dignity, choice and respect to every person who has spent their life contributing to their community and our country.

We are grateful to every older person, aged care provider, family member and advocate who helped us build this new system, and to the many nurses, care workers, administrators and families who will make it a reality. We know this is not the finish line of aged care reform, but what we deliver today is the foundation of a modern, sustainable system for generations to come.”

These once-in-a-generation changes enshrine the rights of older Australians in law and create a system designed to deliver safe, dignified and high-quality care for an ageing population.

The reforms respond to 58 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which exposed a system defined by one word: neglect.

Read the Minister’s media release https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-sam-rae-mp/media/a-new-era-for-aged-care-in-australia?language=en

For more information visit www.health.gov.au/our-work/aged-care-act.