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Government Set To Act On Aged Care Report

by | Mon, Mar 1 2021

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The federal government has announced an initial $452 million to bolster the aged care sector in light of a royal commission’s findings.

The royal commission has made 148 recommendations to the Morrison government, including new laws to protect the rights of elderly people and increased regulator powers.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the values, rights and needs of older Australians need to be at the centre of aged care.

He said the findings provided the government with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to overhaul the system.

“It will test my government, the budget and test the parliament,” he told reporters in Sydney on Monday.

“It will test the way in which we are prepared to deal with this issue.”

Health Minister Greg Hunt said $18 million would go towards tougher oversight of the government’s home care packages, which allow older Australians to continue living at home with extra support.

Nurses are meanwhile calling on the Commonwealth to hastily address chronic under-staffing in private aged care homes in response to the report.