Radio Brisvaani
Canberra, October 6 (MCCQ Newsdesk)
Australia’s aged care system is set for one of its most significant transformations in decades, with the new Aged Care Act coming into effect from 1 November 2025. The new law places a stronger focus on the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of older Australians, ensuring that aged care services are delivered with greater transparency, accountability, and respect.
The reforms are both wide-ranging and complex, and they are expected to affect not only older Australians but also families, carers, and service providers. To help communities understand what’s changing, COTA Australia (Council on the Ageing) and the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) have announced a series of community consultations across the country.
These consultation sessions aim to explain the new Aged Care Act in simple terms, helping participants learn about what the changes mean in practice, how the aged care system will operate under the new framework, and how individuals can access support. The sessions will also provide a platform for attendees to ask questions, share feedback, and discuss their experiences with aged care services.
COTA and OPAN emphasise that older people must be at the heart of this reform process. They are particularly encouraging older Australians from multicultural backgrounds, their families, and community supporters to attend the consultations and ensure their voices are heard.
The consultations will also guide the rollout of the new system, ensuring it reflects the needs of Australia’s diverse ageing population. The organisers say the discussions will help shape practical solutions that promote better care standards, fairer access, and stronger protections for older people.
The new Aged Care Act 2025 is part of the federal government’s broader response to the findings of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which called for urgent reforms to fix systemic problems in the sector. The Act is designed to place the rights of older people at its centre, aligning the aged care framework with principles of fairness, compassion, and accountability.
