Act consultation period extended
Interested parties have an extra three weeks to review the document.
Following feedback from the sector, the government is allowing more time for stakeholders to review the draft of the new Aged Care Act.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the office of the Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells said since the consultation period began in mid-December it had heard from people who receive and deliver care across the industry.
With many requesting more time to review the draft document and share their views, the government has agreed to extend the consultation period by three weeks – to Friday 8 March.
“We want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to tell us what they want from the aged care sector through online surveys, phone calls, email submissions, in-person workshops and online drop-in sessions,” says the statement.
The number one recommendation of the aged care royal commission, the new Aged Care Act – which is due to come into effect on 1 July – will adopt a human-rights approach to aged care.
In January, 12 peak bodies released a paper calling on the government to strengthen the legislation to ensure it has greater teeth.
“Older Australians want and deserve an Aged Care Act that genuinely protects their rights,” said Patricia Sparrow – chief executive of COTA Australia, one of the signatories of the document. “That means the new Act needs to not only include detail on how the rights of older people will be protected but also how they will be enforced.”
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