Media Release: Home Care Wait Times Blow Out Under Labor

The Albanese Labor Government is intentionally making older Australians wait longer for home care.

A letter written by the Department of Health to the Office of Impact Analysis has revealed that the average overall wait time for home care packages will blow out to 6 months under the Albanese Government’s limited home care investment. 

The Coalition has been extremely critical of the Albanese Government for their decision to only provide an additional 24,100 home care packages this financial year, despite the 76,000 vulnerable older Australians currently on the waiting list.  In stark contrast, the Coalition provided an additional 80,000 packages over our last two years in government.

Now, an analysis undertaken by the Department shows that it was an intentional design-feature of this investment to increase the wait time for Level 1 packages from 1 week to 6 months, whilst Level 2 wait times will be doubled from 3 months to 6 months. 

Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Anne Ruston said that it was outrageous for the Albanese Government to knowingly increase the wait for older Australians needing support to stay in their own homes.

"This government promised to put the care back into aged care, but they are failing where it counts,” Shadow Minister Ruston said.

"Waiting lists blowing out as a direct result of the Government’s decision to provide almost 90% less home care packages, compared to the Coalition’s last two years of government.

“The Coalition was focused on ensuring that no older Australian approved for a home care package would wait more than 30 days for support. On the other hand, the Government wants all older Australians to wait 6 months.

“At a time when we know the next generation of older Australians want to stay independent in their own homes for longer, this government must start taking immediate action to bring wait times down.”

ENDS