Aged Care Bill down to the wire: home care caps scrapped, Transition Taskforce announced

The Albanese government has announced amendments to its Aged Care Bill in a bid to solidify Coalition support and reach a vote before Parliament breaks up at the end of next week.

Currently, Parliament is sitting for last time in 2024, signifying the last chance for Labor to achieve the passage of a number of key bills this year.

Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells has this week announced that older Australians who opt to age at home will have more freedom to choose the services they use under the government's Support at Home initiative.

As per the Coalition's recommendation, Labor's proposed limitations on cleaning and gardening services under the in-home care program, 52 and 18 hours per year respectively, will be scrapped.

Minister Wells said removing caps on home care services will help the nation's ageing population to retain independence.

“We heard clear feedback during the Community Affairs Inquiry that older Australians want greater flexibility in the aged care they receive,” she said.

“We are listening to the voices of older Australians to make sure we build an aged care system they can trust.

“Cap-free cleaning and gardening services will enable older Australians to live safely and comfortably in their own homes.

“Our Consumer Confidence Protections reflect these expectations and highlight how we are putting the rights and needs of older people front and centre as part of the aged care reforms.”

From July 1, 2025 the Support at Home program will supersede both the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program and Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC) Programme, costing the government $4.3 billion (a figure which is likely to rise with the removal of cleaning and gardening caps).

Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) director of policy and systemic advocacy Samantha Edmonds thanked the government for acting upon the feedback they received from older people.

“If you are an older person with continence issues, one hour of cleaning a week is simply not
enough to keep your home at a hygienic standard. Older people may also require additional
gardening for safety reasons, such as fire hazard reduction," she said.

The Albanese government has also announced that it will be assembling an Aged Care Transition Taskforce to assist in the delivery of new reforms, after the sector expressed major concerns around the legislation's complexity and the speed at which changes are expected to be implemented.

The Taskforce will be chaired by Anne Burgess AM, who is currently chair of the Council of Elders and Member of the National Aged Care Advisory Committee, and will bring together advocates, providers, information and technology experts, members of the primary and clinical care workforces, and representatives from the Department of Health and Aged Care and Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

Minister Wells said $10,000 grants will be made available to providers to undertake necessary IT upgrades ahead of the July 2025 deadline.

“I understand the sector will face challenges transitioning to a new aged care system but we are intent on helping the industry meet these challenges,” she said.

“The Transition Taskforce will provide expert advice to government on the progress of implementation alongside oversight and stewardship to the sector.

“I have always said I am ambitious for aged care. I know the sector can meet this challenge with the Transition Taskforce troubleshooting concerns raised by providers.”