“ICT systems ready for all users” on 1 Nov: Govt responds to Senate Inquiry
- Response: Government says ICT systems were ready
- Reality: Providers reported widespread system failures
- Survey: Enkindle found major digital challenges
- Inquiry: Pocock-led probe prompted package release
The Government has responded to the Aged Care Service Delivery Senate Inquiry, which published its final report last year.
The final report with 11 recommendations was published one month before the new Aged Care Act came into effect. It recommended the Government finalise its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems “as a matter of urgency” to ensure providers could be ready to implement the reforms.
The Government's response, published on 6 July, was: “he Government had the necessary ICT systems ready for all users ... to support implementation of the Aged Care Act 2024 and Support at Home from 1 November 2025.”
However, many aged care providers experienced significant challenges with the Government's ICT systems when the new Act came into effect.
Responses to aged care consultant Enkindle’s survey of 300 home care operators showed Support at Home providers had problems with the systems of Services Australia, My Aged Care, PRODA and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission’s e-forms.
From providers’ feedback, there is a difference between systems being available on day one and systems being ready in the sense that they are working well and not creating significant issues for providers, Enkindle CEO Jennene Buckley, pictured below, told The Weekly SOURCE.
“Enkindle’s 2026 Home Care Provider Outlook Survey included around 50 pieces of commentary from providers relating to government ICT systems, portals and digital processes.”
For example, one operator responded to the survey with the following:
The widespread challenges with the Government’s ICT systems, and operators' own technology issues, saw providers dealing with manual workarounds, payment and reconciliation issues, delays, and increased administrative burden.
More recently, providers have reported improvements. Government and Services Australia have done significant work to address many of the early issues, Jennene said.
Support at Home packages being released weekly
The Government's response to the Senate Inquiry also said the 63,000 Support at Home packages released between 1 November 2025 and 30 June 2026 were released weekly, and the weekly pace has continued since then.
About the Aged Care Service Delivery Senate Inquiry
The Aged Care Service Delivery Senate Inquiry was called in July 2025 to look at the impact of the Government’s decision to delay the start of Support at Home until 1 November 2025 and the withholding of the release of new Home Care Packages.
The Inquiry was called by Senator David Pocock and had the backing of the Greens and the Coalition. It was chaired by Greens Senator Penny Allman-Payne.
Submissions and hearings from the Inquiry were a factor in the Government promising to release 40,000 Home Care Packages by 31 December 2025.
You can read the Government’s response to the Senate Inquiry’s final report in full here.
