The Albanese government chalked up its first legislative win on Tuesday, after a long-delayed $508 million aged care package sailed through parliament.
Australia needs a cultural reset on caring for the elderly and vulnerable, and will struggle to improve outcomes in residential settings until workers are better valued, Aged Care Minister Anika Wells says.
Aged Care Minister Anika Wells: “The care economy is undervalued. We do not value care workers in our country, and until they feel that value we are not going to get enough people into the sector.”, introduced a new funding model for the sector, set to come into force from October 1. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the bill, which implements 14 recommendations from the royal commission’s final report, would ensure older Australians received the care, dignity and respect they deserve.“Having an aged care bill in response to that royal commission become the first to pass through parliament shows how seriously we take reform in the sector,” he said.
Labor has another aged care bill before parliament that will implement its other election commitments, including 24/7 nurses.The policy, which is something the nurses’ union has been advocating for some time, will require 869 additional aged care nurses, according to government modelling.that Australia’s aged care sector was facing an annual shortage of 35,000 workers and risked not being able to meet basic standards of care.
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