Labor ‘abandoning’ aged care: Coalition

The Coalition has accused the government of ‘forgetting’ about the aged-care sector in the wake of Tuesday’s budget, as providers raise alarm at a lack of extra funding.

Opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston says Labor ‘is abandoning’ aged care. Photo: Kari Bourne / Sunshine Coast Daily

The Coalition has accused the government of “forgetting” about the aged-care sector in the wake of Tuesday’s budget, as providers raise alarm over the lack of extra funding to help the industry implement Labor’s $5.6bn in reforms by July.

Opposition health and aged-care spokeswoman Anne Ruston made her most blistering attack on Labor’s progress in aged care since legislation containing the new Aged Care Act and Support at Home program passed parliament in November.

“Anthony Albanese and his Aged Care Minister have abandoned the aged-care sector and the older Australians who rely on it,” Senator Ruston said.

“Despite numerous promises by the government that they would be ready for the changes, it is now clear they will not be. Instead of being honest and admitting to their failure to be ready by July 2025, they have left the sector and older Australians with uncertainty, fear and distress.

“Anthony Albanese and Anika Wells no longer care about older Australians and the aged-care sector now that the aged-care legislation has passed. Clearly, Labor has forgotten their promise to put the care back into aged care.”

Peak bodies including Ageing Australia said it was evident after the budget was handed down that “more work needs to be done to prepare for sweeping reforms”, with Labor not having taken up its pleas for $600m in extra funding to be allocated to the sector.

Other providers, such as RSL LifeCare, accused the government of ignoring aged care and the need for more support for the industry in the budget.

“The federal budget fails to acknowledge the immense challenge aged-care providers face in transitioning to the new Aged Care Act. With the accompanying rules and subordinate legislation still unknown to aged-care operators, the proposed 1 July, 2025, start date is simply unrealistic,” RSL LifeCare chief executive Janet Muir said.

“A $10,000 grant is woefully inadequate given the multimillion (dollar) investment required to build the necessary IT infrastructure, implement new systems and deliver staff training to meet these reforms.”

Ms Wells said the sheer scale of Labor’s budgetary commitments in aged care made its focus on the sector clear.

“Our $2.9bn investment in aged care in the 2025-26 budget brings the total investment by the Albanese Labor government to $35.2bn,” the Aged Care Minister said.

“Under the Coalition, 66 per cent of homes were running at a loss. Under Labor, that number has dropped to 37 per cent.

“That increased funding has improved the sector’s financial ­viability, restored dignity and quality to aged care, and lifted the system out of crisis.”

Labor’s biggest investment in the budget for the sector was the $2.6bn to fund the pay rise of aged-care nurses, which was announced earlier in the year.