Aged-care bill faces changes from Coalition

Labor faces a raft of changes to its $5.6bn aged-care bill in the final sitting fortnight of the year, with the Coalition demanding ‘clear timelines’ for the reforms and a commitment to not cut aged-care places.

Labor is facing a raft of changes to its $5.6bn aged-care bill in the final sitting fortnight of the year.

Labor is facing a raft of changes to its $5.6bn aged-care bill in the final sitting fortnight of the year, with the Coalition demanding the government provide “clear timelines” for the reforms and a commitment never to reduce aged-care places.

Passing the milestone bill – which includes a $4.3bn investment in a new system of home care – is among Anthony Albanese’s top priorities before parliament rises for the year, along with legislation increasing the salaries of early childhood educators, a new school funding agreement and reforming indexation of HECS loans.

While the Coalition promised not to amend the government’s financial framework of the bill, which will see wealthier older Australians pay more for everyday care costs, it has sought dozens of other changes to the legislation. In additional comments to the Senate committee report into the legislation, which ultimately recommended it be passed, Coalition senators called for more than 30 amendments to improve the proposed reforms.

“Coalition senators have concerns that the bill contains several shortcomings that should be remedied for the bill to deliver on its stated purposes and outcomes,” the additional comments read.

“(We) recommend that the time frame for the commencement of the support-at-home program be revised to allow sufficient time for implementation, following receipt of the transition bill and all the subordinate legislation … (and) that the government adopt an approach ensuring providers are not penalised until full transition has been completed.”

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells. Picture: Martin Ollman/NewsWire

The support-at-home program is due to be introduced in a “phased approach” from July, with the government on Friday night announcing it would launch an “aged-care transition taskforce” – led by Council of Elders chair Anne Burgess – to help the sector deliver the reforms.

But Coalition senators slammed the bill for “failing to provide clear timelines and reporting mechanisms to track wait times from application and assessment, to receipt of care”.

The Coalition is also demanding Labor “publicly acknowledge” its intention to remove provisions for a union-endorsed “workers’ voice” scheme to be mandated in every aged-care home.

Opposition aged care spokeswoman Anne Ruston said the Coalition had been critical of the government for its refusal to provide the extensive and unseen rules associated with the aged-care bill, and demanded they be released before the bill came to a final vote.

“The Coalition will be fighting for further amendments to reflect the important concerns raised through the inquiry process, including to ensure clear transition timelines, an education campaign to increase older Australians’ understanding of the changes, and ongoing opportunities for all Australians to have a say on the government’s legislation,” she said.

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells would not be drawn on whether Labor would agree to any of the amendments, saying “the Albanese government will continue to engage with all parliamentarians to pass urgent generational reform by the end of the year, so older Australians can reap the benefits of improved aged care”.

Labor is also yet to secure the opposition’s support for legislation including the childcare wage rises, which it has declared it “supports in principle but maintains concerns over how the policy will affect early childhood education providers now and into the future”.

The Coalition has also attacked Labor’s changes to HECS debts for “picking winners” and doing nothing to support people struggling with cost of living.