Labor will not release home care packages before Nov 1

The Albanese government has said it will not release any extra home care packages before the commencement of the new Act Care Act on November 1.

Independent MPs and senators have been calling for the immediate release of a minimum of 20,000 new home care packages to address growing waitlist concerns.

Aged Care Minister Sam Rae formally rejected these calls on Wednesday evening, The Australian reports.

“We made the difficult decision to defer the start date of the Act until 1 November, so that providers, clients and staff working in the sector are ready for the transition,” Mr Rae said in a letter to crossbenchers.

“We recognise that the deferral of the Act has implications for those who are receiving or eligible to receive home care, and that the consequence of deferral is that new funding for Support at Home packages will commence rolling out at a later time.

“We will continue to monitor the impact of the deferral.”

Independent Senator David Pocock, who has been central in the push for more packages, is now calling for a senate inquiry following the government's “refusal to act.”

“While the Home Care program will transition to a new Support at Home model in November there’s no reason to withhold desperately needed Home Care packages in the interim,” Senator Pocock said.

“There is a huge human cost to delaying the release of more Home Care packages.” 

The new Act will bring the release of 83,000 additional home care packages, but the latest data shows more than 87,000 Australians are on the waitlist for this type of care, with those seeking a Level 4 package forced to wait anywhere between 12 to 15 months for access.

“For some people that means being stuck in hospital longer because they can’t get the support they need to return home safely. For others it means entering residential aged care earlier than they otherwise would have; others are struggling at home without the help they need,” Senator Pocock said.

“Families are contacting my office in absolute despair at the lack of action and the delays. 

“Being able to access a package in many cases only when someone currently on a package passes away is completely unacceptable.” 

Last month, 10 Independent Members and Senators signed an open letter to Health Minister Mark Butler and Aged Care Minister Sam Rae calling for the immediate release of more packages.

Signatories Senator Jacqui Lambie, Zali Steggall MP and other crossbenchers have reportedly now gained the support of the Coalition for an inquiry into Labor’s handling of the issue, as the parliament prepares to vote on it.

The proposed investigation will look at the impact of the delay of the new Aged Care Act on older people, their support systems, and the aged care workforce. It will also seek to determine whether the federal government has the capacity to meet its own target of reducing the wait for a Home Care Package to 90 days by mid-2027.