Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, told South Australia's 5AA morning radio show, the Australian Government is in "very constructive" negotiations with the Opposition's Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care Anne Ruston over the reforms recommended by the Aged Care Taskforce.
It was a rare public comment from the Minister for Health and Aged Care, with comments on the issue perplexing the aged care sector usually made by the Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells.
"We know this is important reform, but it's also sensitive and is always better done on a bipartisan basis than potentially running into a political storm," said the Minister.
"They [the Opposition] have been very constructive at trying to reach a bipartisan position on reform to aged care that leads the aged care sector to build all of the beds that we need, not just now, but particularly over the coming five or 10 years as the large baby boomer population starts to reach the age of residential aged care."
There are 23 recommendations of the Final Report of the Aged Care Taskforce, which is advocating for increased contributions from those not on the Age Pension.
Minister Butler said without bipartisan support, any reforms rolled out by the Government could be rolled back in the inevitable event that the Government changes.
"We need to do the next stage of aged care reform, which is why we're working hard with the Opposition to try to come to an agreement so that's got bipartisan support, [and] doesn't just chop and change election to election," he said.
Labor needs support from the Greens and the crossbench for legislation to pass the Senate, unless it receives support from the Liberal Party/The Nationals coalition.
LAUREN BROOMHAM: Crunch time: Countdown on for new Aged Care Act to pass Parliament this year
