The Coalition, Greens and crossbench are banding together to pressure Labor to boost the number of support packages available to older Australians who want to remain in their home.
After the federal government delayed the implementation of the new Aged Care Act from July to November, there have been widespread calls for Labor to make the additional 83,000 packages it has promised available.
Those calls came from aged care providers, advocates and politicians who accepted the broader delay was needed to ensure a smooth implementation, but argued extra home care packages should have been released in the interim.
Push for urgent support packages to age at home
The latest data shows more than 87,000 people are on the waitlist for a home care package, with some waiting as long as a year for their correct supports.
Those are older people who have already been assessed and approved for help with needs like cleaning, cooking and showering.
The industry is concerned that the waitlist could reach 100,000 before November, when the new act takes effect.
The government has so far resisted pressure to release more packages in the interim period, but now Independent Senator David Pocock, the Greens and the Coalition are all trying to force the government to make at least 20,000 extra packages available in the coming months.Â
Long waits lead to poorer outcomes
Senator Pocock said it was a “solvable” problem that was resulting in older Australians suffering.
“They shouldn’t have to wait for someone to die before being able to access a package,” he said.
“I’ve heard horror story after horror story of people waiting months and in some cases years for basic support.”
Senator David Pocock said he had heard “horror stories” of people waiting months and years for support. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Greens spokesperson for older people, Penny Allman-Payne, agreed prolonged wait times had led to poorer health outcomes.
“Months stuck on the aged care waitlist means going without help to shower, to feed yourself, to have a safe and clean home,” she said.
“People are dying waiting.
“It’s really the bare minimum Labor should do.”
Shadow Aged Care Minister Anne Ruston said the government’s delayed extra packages amounted to a broken promise.
“Anthony Albanese and his government have abandoned older Australians who need support to stay independent in their own homes,” she said.
“They promised to deliver an additional 83,000 packages from 1 July, 2025, but they have broken this promise.”
Older people waiting for further support have also been crying out for help, afraid they will die before getting the assistance they have been approved for.
Aged Care Minister Sam Rae told ABC News the packages would become available in the 12 months from November, but in the meantime, “high priority” applicants would receive help within a month.
He said that since September, an average of 2,700 packages have been released each week, which is largely made possible by recipients either dying or moving into residential aged care.
A parliamentary inquiry into the impacts of the act’s delayed implementation will be held on Friday.