Start date pushed back for new Aged Care Act

Long-anticipated aged care reforms due to be implemented next month have been delayed, with the Federal Government claiming its decision will ensure it has more time to finalise key processes, while also giving providers more time to prepare.
 
Originally scheduled to commence on 1 July, the Aged Care Act 2024 and Support at Home program have now been pushed back to start on 1 November.
 
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has said the decision is based on advice received from the sector and experts, who called for more time to improve reform delivery and minimise disruption.
 
Federal Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler acknowledged the reforms are ‘incredibly ambitious’ and said the Government wants to ensure all bases are covered ahead of the rollout.
 
‘We want to make sure that all operational, digital and legislative pieces are in place before the rollout starts,’ he said.
 
‘This brief deferral allows providers to train their staff and have conversations with their clients, get their IT systems ready and prepare operations for an orderly transition.’
 
However, Dr Anthony Marinucci, Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Aged Care, expressed disappointment in the delay. While he recognises the challenges being faced, he told newsGP there is no denying the decision will have real impacts on patient outcomes.
 
‘The delay stems from a dual challenge: the Government’s need to finalise crucial operational rules and the aged care sector’s widespread concerns about readiness,’ he said.
 
‘For older Australians, this postponement means a continued wait for essential rights-based care and the persistence of long home care package waitlists.
 
‘While the delay may offer more time for older people to understand the changes, it prolongs their access to vital protections and improved services.’
 
He also noted that for the next four months, providers will continue to operate with incomplete information, while facing ongoing operational and financial pressures. Meanwhile, for GPs working in the sector, he says the implications are sure to be ‘significant’.
 
‘While the delay may allow for more robust debate on the Act’s contents, it directly impacts our ability to properly deliver the proposed care this new act is legislating,’ Dr Marinucci said.
 
‘GPs are already burdened by red tape and administrative tasks that divert time from direct patient care, and this delay means these inefficiencies persist.
 
‘Prolonged delays may lead to even more GPs leaving aged care – a trend which is already well established, exacerbating existing workforce shortages.’
 
Dr Marinucci said he hopes the additional time to rollout the changes will now be used appropriately.
 
‘Ultimately, it is imperative that this four-month extension is actually used to ensure the Act’s implementation, while also supporting the medical workforce vital to its wellbeing,’ he said.
 
The legislative change was passed by Federal Parliament in November 2024 in response to recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety in a bid to create a safer, fairer, and more respectful aged care system.
 
The new Act aims to place older Australians at the centre of the aged care system, with a greater focus on their rights and needs. To help support this endeavour, a Statement of Rights and a Statement of Principles will be introduced for the first time to help to guide both providers and workers in their decision-making.
 
As part of the reforms, a new Support at Home program will also be introduced to provide more flexible and equitable access to aged care services.
 
Dale Fisher, Chief Executive of Silverchain Group, the third largest Home Care Package provider in Australia, was among those advocating for the delayed rollout. She said the postponement was ‘urgently needed’ to avoid chaos and confusion among both recipients of care and workers.
 
‘Our focus has been on preparing our clients for these changes, but without the key subordinate legislation and grandfathering detail available, we cannot reassure them on how the change affects them,’ Ms Fisher said.
 
However, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care Senator Anne Ruston has called out the delay as an ‘embarrassing backflip’, saying it could have been avoided.
 
‘The Government was warned,’ she said.
 
‘The aged care sector has been crying out that the 1 July deadline was not deliverable without causing serious negative consequences.
 
‘Why has it taken the Government until five minutes to midnight to alleviate the stress and uncertainty they have inflicted?’
 
Until the reforms are implemented, the Commonwealth Home Support Program, Short-Term Restorative Care Program and Home Care Packages Program will continue.
 
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