Recommendation 9 of the Aged Care Taskforce chaired by the Aged Care Minister Anika Wells states, "Continue to focus government funding in residential aged care on care costs with a significant role for resident co-contributions in non-care components.
"However, the Taskforce also believes an approach expanding government funding to fully fund the care component should be considered, as this would be consistent with Royal Commission recommendations."
The final paragraph states, "If government chooses not to fully fund care, it may wish to review current arrangements for care fees, including the potential for removing annual caps and reviewing lifetime caps."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in February stated the family home threshold will be left unchanged at $197,735, and contributions will be based on other assets.
A story on Tuesday in the Financial Review said the government is looking to lift the lifetime contributions cap for residential care from the current level of $76,096 to $190,000. In addition, there would be no cap to users of home care services.
The Taskforce recommendations were delivered to the government in December last year and released in March 2024. Despite positive words from the Aged Care Minister there was no mention of the Taskforce recommendations in the Budget in May. Aged and Community Care Providers Association Chief Executive Tom Symondson, a member of the Taskforce, was blindsided. There has been nothing since.
Sector feels let down
Chris Mamarelis, CEO of aged care provider Whiddon, told The Weekly SOURCE the sector feels "let down" the Government has not responded to the Aged Care Taskforce recommendations.
"Our elderly and our employees needed a brave government to step forward and promptly implement those recommendations, that were echoed by the Royal Commission, and endorsed by the Aged Care Minister as Chair of the Committee," Chris said.
"The prolonged silence by Government on this matter, is yet another example of politics impeding progress and in fact a long-term sustainable pathway for senior Australians."
Members of the Taskforce have also told The Weekly SOURCE they would like to see a response to the Taskforce recommendations tabled as soon as possible.
The Draft Exposure of the new Aged Care Act went further than the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended by introducing criminal penalties for fault-based offences. Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care Anne Ruston (pictured right) told The Weekly SOURCE, the Coalition has consulted with the sector, Australian Institute of Company Directors, aged care providers, older Australians, and legal counsels about the proposal in the new Aged Care Act to introduce criminal penalties for the aged care sector.
"We remain concerned that the threat of criminal penalties will deter much-needed workforce from joining the sector, at a time when providers are facing serious staffing challenges," the Shadow Minister said.
The Opposition remains in "good-faith conversations" with the Government, she said, reiterating its "clear offer of bipartisanship on sensible aged care policies"
She said the Opposition is waiting on the Government to provide them with more information about the proposals, and called on the Government to release its plans for public consultation.