The Retirement Living Council (RLC) has thrown its support behind a planned Senate inquiry into the Federal Government’s delayed rollout of additional Home Care Packages, saying it’s a critical opportunity to reset how care is delivered to older Australians.
Independent Senator David Pocock this week lodged a motion to establish the inquiry through the Senate Community Affairs References Committee, with a final report due by 15 October if it proceeds.
The inquiry would examine the consequences of delaying the Support at Home program to 1 November and the Government’s decision to withhold the release of 20,000 new Home Care Packages in the meantime – despite a national waitlist that could hit 100,000 – or higher – by November.
“This inquiry is an important moment for the country to rethink, reset, and reimagine how care is delivered to a population that continues to age,” said RLC Executive Director Daniel Gannon.
“There are 100,000 reasons to get Home Care Packages out into communities – and fast.”
Daniel said the delays have created a system “at a standstill” and urged the Government to consider the role of retirement villages in strengthening aged care delivery.
Data from the latest PwC-RLC Retirement Census shows 79% of retirement villages are already delivering approved home care services.
“It’s not possible to discuss the future of aged care without considering the value proposition of retirement villages,” he said. “But we need innovation and alternative models to shape the future of care at home, not inertia.”
The RLC’s Shared Care framework, released in December 2023, outlines three scalable models for village operators to deliver community-based care either independently or through provider partners. It was due to be trialled from 1 July under the Support at Home program – but the delay to 1 November has left the pilot’s fate uncertain.
“By 2040 the number of Australians aged over 75 will increase by 85 per cent, underlining the importance of getting things right – and quickly,” Daniel underlined.
