Surprise provisions stall aged care reforms

Sweeping aged care reforms that will likely result in some Australians paying more for aged care have stalled again, with the opposition saying it needs more time to consider the Bill.

Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor said the Coalition remained in “good faith negotiations” with the Albanese government on the legislation.

“We only received a 500-page Bill from the government a week ago and I think it’s fair and reasonable (we work through the legislation) given how much is at stake here,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

“There are very, very sensitive and important issues in the Bill. There’s major new provisions that we weren’t expecting so we’ll work out way through those.

“It’s an incredibly important issue for older Australians who are in aged care, or expecting to go into aged care in the near future, their kids and their grandkids.”

The reforms are expected to include a means-tested, user-pays model for non-health related elements in nursing homes and in-home care, while the government continues to foot the bill for medical expenses.

It’s also believed the government will waive criminal penalties and imprisonment of up to five years for dodgy operators.

The reforms come as the number of Australians aged over 85 is on track to triple by 2050, with aged care expected to become one of the biggest strains on the federal budget over the next decades.

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged quick action on the “sensible reforms” to give the sector confidence.

He said conversations between the government and the opposition had concluded “sometime ago”.

“All the issues were resolved to ensure that there is a secure future for aged care,” Mr Albanese said.

“Unless we have action, what the aged care providers are warning about is the sustainability of the aged care sector needs to be guaranteed and ensured going forward.

“These are a modest, but important reforms going forward and we hope to see a positive response because that’s what required.”

Greens spokespeople for older people Penny Allman-Payne accused Labor of letting the Coalition “dictate terms on aged care”.

“They caved on care minutes, they caved on criminal penalties and now they’re letting the opposition delay a long overdue reform,” she said.

“Labor is boxing at shadows.

“They’re so desperate to avoid Peter Dutton’s attacks that they’re letting him set the policy agenda – from the census questions debacle, to pulling the plug on promised religious discrimination reforms, and now keeping millions of older Australians waiting for a new Aged Care Act.”