Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia Chief Executive Ian Yates hit out at some aged care providers and called for ‘about a third’ of them to be struck from the industry.

Mr Yates made the comments during an interview with Today, after he was asked what could be done to help overhaul and improve the aged care sector.

“We have far too many (providers) - we say about a third at least of them - that ought not be in the industry anymore,” Mr Yates said.

Mr Yates also called for a “strong regulator” to oversee the sector and make the hard decisions.

“To punish bad providers and get them out of the system. Australia has some of the best aged care providers in the world, but at least one-third of them are failing older people,” Mr Yates said.

The COTA chief executive also called for the introduction of a star rating system for staffing, consumer control and greater transparency.

“We need a major transformation of the system, and older Australians shouldn’t wait a day longer than needed to be guaranteed choice, dignity and quality in aged care,” Mr Yates said.