The Coalition, Greens and crossbench are banding together to pressure Labor to boost the number of support packages available to older Australians who want to remain in their home. Source: ABC News.
After the Albanese Government delayed the implementation of the new Aged Care Act from July to November, there have been widespread calls for Labor to make the additional 83,000 packages it has promised available.
Those calls came from aged care providers, advocates and politicians who accepted the broader delay was needed to ensure a smooth implementation, but argued extra home care packages should have been released in the interim.
The latest data shows more than 87,000 people are on the waitlist for a home care package, with some waiting as long as a year for their correct supports.
Those are older people who have already been assessed and approved for help with needs like cleaning, cooking and showering.
The industry is concerned that the waitlist could reach 100,000 before November, when the new act takes effect.
The Government has so far resisted pressure to release more packages in the interim period, but now Independent senator David Pocock, the Greens and the Coalition are all trying to force the Government to make at least 20,000 extra packages available in the coming months.
Senator Pocock said it was a “solvable” problem that was resulting in older Australians suffering.
“They shouldn’t have to wait for someone to die before being able to access a package,” he said.
Aged Care Minister Sam Rae said the packages would become available in the 12 months from November, but in the meantime, “high priority” applicants would receive help within a month.
A parliamentary inquiry into the impacts of the act’s delayed implementation will be held on Friday.
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Pocock, Greens and Coalition united in push to get older Australians more help at home (Evelyn Manfield, ABC News)
