Sam Rae says there's no excuse for providers not to be ready for new Act

There “isn't an excuse” for aged care providers to be underprepared for November 1, the aged care minister has said, with the new Aged Care Act due to commence in days.

Talking to ABC Radio on Thursday, Aged Care and Seniors Minister Sam Rae addressed the looming reform and related concerns brought forward by the sector.

“There is a lot of support from the government for the sector to get them ready. The rules have been in place for a significant period of time and have undergone a collaborative development with the sector over well over a year,” he told Sydney Mornings host Hamish Macdonald.

“So there really isn't an excuse from any provider to not be prepared for 1 November, particularly given that we did defer the Act from 1 June in order to help them get prepared for 1 November.”

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing released the final Aged Care Rules on September 26, after a rigourous consultation process including the release of seven draft versions between September 2024 and May 2025.

“The Aged Care Act was passed through the Parliament in the last term of Parliament in 2024, and we have worked really closely with the sector and the Transition Taskforce that represent the sector, the workforce, and, of course, older people themselves to ensure that there is really clear information,” Minister Rae said.

“What the sector have been telling us very clearly is that they are ready to go for 1 November, [...] some parts of the sector were pushing for aspects of the reform process to be brought forward, which we have done in terms of fast-tracking the additional home care places.”

Minister Rae confirmed that the Albanese government will keep their commitment to releasing 20,000 fast-tracked Home Care Packages before November 1, with 16,667 already in effect. Another 63,000 will become available before the end of this financial year.

However, as the Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care Anne Ruston told the very same radio show just one day prior, there are over 120,000 older people waiting an average 10 months for a Home Care Package.

“This is only the people that have been assessed as needing a level of care and have not received that level of care,” she said.

“We know there's nearly another 120,000 people who are waiting to get assessed for the care. So combined, we're talking nearly 240,000 Australians, [...] either are not getting the care they are assessed as needing or are waiting to be assessed.”

Are you feeling prepared for the changes on November 1? Let us know in the comments below.