The Albanese Labor Government has been forced to backflip on a critical start date for their new Support at Home Program, conceding that they have failed to prepare for this significant reform to Australia’s home care system.
Pricing changes for the new Support at Home Program were scheduled to come into effect in July 2025, with the Government providing a steadfast guarantee to the Parliament they would be ready to release critical information on these changes in time.
Now, the Government has admitted that it cannot deliver on its own reforms, delaying the start date by a year to July 2026.
Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Anne Ruston said that this is a clear admission of the Government’s failure to be ready to implement their own reform package, after promising older Australians that they could deliver on this change.
“The Albanese Government shoved through their Aged Care Bill in the last sitting fortnight with empty promises to older Australians, and now it is clear that they were not ready,” Senator Ruston said.
“This is exactly why the Coalition tried to amend the Aged Care Bill to ensure it can be implemented without adverse impacts for older Australians and the sector, including by ensuring providers had 12 months to prepare for the Support at Home reforms. However, the Government voted down all of our amendments that dealt with this issue.
“This is a government that has already created massive stress and uncertainty for the aged care sector, and now they have admitted that they cannot deliver on promises they made only weeks ago in the Parliament.
“The Government’s actions show complete disregard and contempt for a sector that cares for some of Australia’s most vulnerable people, our older Australians.
“We are really concerned about what this means for the Government’s full package of aged care reforms. If they are not prepared to release information on home care pricing changes, what else has the Government promised that they know they cannot deliver?
“The lack of transparency around this delay is particularly concerning, with the Government not even discussing the issue with their own Transition Taskforce. If the Government is serious about their aged care reforms, then they must get serious about transition.”
The Coalition continues to call on the Government to be transparent and release all of the Rules associated with their aged care reforms as soon as possible. Withholding this critical information prevents Australians from being able to understand and prepare for the full impact of these changes.
ENDS
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