With almost 100,000 older Australians waiting up to 15 months to receive their correct level of Home Care Package, Aged Care Minister Sam Rae has accused Independent Senator David Pocock of using cases of hardship for political currency.
In two ABC interviews, Minister Rae has said he was "disappointed" in Senator Pocock's approach. On ABC Sydney last week, after facing questioning from disgruntled listeners, some of whom had been waiting months to receive care they have been assessed as needing, Rae responded to Pocock's comments that older people are dying waiting for their correct level of home care.
Health Minister Mark Butler revealed on 6 July that the promised rollout of 83,000 new Home Care Packages – originally scheduled to commence on 1 July 2025 – would be delayed until Support at Home came into operation on 1 November 2025.
Minister Rae said, "Politicians who are seeking to weaponise this for their own political purposes are not helping older people in our community at all. And I find that approach very disappointing."
In an interview on 7.30 on Monday, Minister Rae said Pocock was using aged care delays as a "political football".
Senator Pocock led a coalition of 10 Independent politicians calling on the Government to urgently release 20,000 Home Care Packages in June but the request was knocked back. Senator Pocock then pushed for a Senate Inquiry into the home care delays, among other issues, which will hold its first hearing on Friday, 29 August 2025.
The Government has released 133,000 Home Care Packages since September 2024, an average of 2,700 per week. "People who are assessed as high priority, this is a clinical assessment, people who are assessed as high priority, will continue to receive their packages within a month," Minister Rae said.
