With just weeks to go until Labor's new aged care system commences on 1 November, the Greens-led Senate inquiry into Aged Care Service Delivery has handed down its report raising the alarm for older Australians, and finding that the reforms must be urgently reviewed and amended to avoid cruel and terrifying consequences for older Australians.
Ending shortages of care
The committee, chaired by Greens Spokesperson for Older People Senator Penny Allman-Payne, took the view that the 'rationing' of care through the periodic release of packages leads to significant, life altering and sometimes fatal consequences for older Australians (9.21).
The committee in its report also expressed "grave concern" that "vulnerable older people will forgo necessary care" (9.48) because they won't be able to afford new co-payments for basic care, a key feature of the new Support at Home program.
Rather than rationing care, the majority committee report urges the government to work towards a universal entitlement to care (9.23) as the Royal Commission intended.
But Labor, in their dissenting comments, has rejected the recommendations of the majority report, locking in their support for policies creating deliberate shortages of care that have led to over 200,000 older Australians on the waitlist for care, many dying before receiving a package.
Inquiry raises serious concerns, more work to be done on Labor's reforms
Under Support at Home, older Australians will be forced to pay up to $50 each time they need help with a shower, and the government has been warned of billions in flow-on costs due to poor design of the scheme in the form of early entry to the residential aged care system and avoidable hospitalisations.
Significantly, the committee also recommends the Senate further inquire into the government's planned closure of the Community Home Support Program (CHSP). The CHSP currently supports more than 800,000 older Australians with everyday living needs, but is slated to close after 1 July 2027 and be transitioned into Support at Home.
Serious questions remain about how the government will address the waitlist for home care in the future if it goes ahead with the closure of the CHSP. The Senate committee has previously heard that the government has "no possibility" of reaching its home care waitlist target (down to 3 months by 1 July 2027), due to the flow on impacts of the closure of that program on demand for care packages. Responses to questions during the inquiry hearing made clear that the government had not modelled the impact of the planned closure of CHSP on the waitlist for home care packages.
After evidence surfaced during the public hearing for this inquiry successfully forced the government into a humiliating backdown over the delay of tens of thousands of home care packages last month, today's committee report and the threat of further inquiries is a warning for the government that the Greens won't let the neglect of older Australians go unnoticed.
Lines from Senator Penny Allman-Payne, Greens spokesperson for Older People and Chair of the Aged Care Service Delivery inquiry:
"This inquiry shows that the more you look at Labor's aged care changes, the worse it is for older Australians."
"While the Greens and the majority of Senators have agreed to work towards ending the shortages of aged care, Labor have voted to continue deliberately rationing the availability of aged care each year."
"By mandating shortages of care, Labor will ensure people die on waitlists without the care they need. That should be unthinkable in a country like Australia, let alone deliberate government policy."
"In just over thirty days, harsh co-payments will mean thousands of older people will be forced to pay up to $50 just for help with a shower. Many will have to go without."
"Politicians on big salaries might not have to worry about who will look after them in their old age, but ordinary Australians do."
"Labor's aged care changes mean the worse your health, the more you'll pay."
"The Greens have taken on Labor over the needless delay of home care packages and won. Now we'll fight to make sure everyone can access the level of care that they need when they need it, not just the care they can afford to pay for."
