This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
THE Albanese government’s first budget has come good for older Australians, from its ambitions to lower inflation to crucial steps towards implementing the recommendations of the Aged Care Royal Commission.
This latest federal budget has delivered for aged care reform in committing to higher pay for all aged care staff, reserving at least 15,000 free TAFE training places for aged care, funding 24/7 nursing in all residential care services and providing better food services via four year funded program.
As well as allocating more than $310 million in the essential upgrading of IT infrastructure and systems for the Support at Home Program, which will be implemented from 1 July 2024.
“Self-evidently much is being done and will be done in aged care reform with the nearly $4 billion committed in this Budget, with aged care wage increases still to come,” said Ian Yates, chief executive for COTA Australia.
“We congratulate not only Ministers Butler and Wells on their hard work so far, but also the evident commitment of the Prime Minister and Treasurer to this reform process being given priority.”
Reforms will also include the creation of a Age Care Complaints Commissioner in the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, increasing the minutes of care for each aged care resident from 200 minutes to 2015 and implementing a national personal care worker registration scheme and Code of Conduct.
“Much more remains to be done to fully implement the Royal Commission recommendations and to achieve a world class aged care system of which all Australians can be proud and have confidence in,” added Yates.
The budget does follow through on recommendations made by the Royal Commission, such as establishing a an independent Inspector General of Aged Care and commencing the Office of the Inspector General in 2022/23.
The Disability Support for Older Australians will also be continued for another year from its initial end date from the close of 2022.
And new Independent Hospitals and Aged Care Pricing Authority will be ready to recommend independently determined fair and reasonable service pricing by 1 July 2024.
Finally, the government bolstered its COVID-19 support for the sector by $845 million.
“In the lead up to the next Budget COTA will be strongly engaging on matters still under consideration, such as improving services for people with severe disability, and ensuring that the new Support at Home program really delivers for older people and their families,” concluded Yates.
