Support at Home Senate Inquiry announces five public hearings
- National hearings: Inquiry visits five cities from late July
- Key issues: Co-payments and home care access examined
- Residential impact: Inquiry assessing effects on aged care homes
- Submissions: Stakeholders can contribute until 31 July
Public hearings will be held across the country from 27 July and are expected to run for a month.
The latest round of Support at Home Program Senate Inquiry hearings will begin in Brisbane on 27 July, moving to Melbourne, Launceston, Adelaide, and finally to Alice Springs on 25 August.
No speakers or schedule details had been released at the time of publishing.
The Senate Inquiry
The Support at Home Program Senate Inquiry was a recommendation of last year’s Aged Care Service Delivery Senate Inquiry, and, like that Inquiry, is chaired by Greens Senator Penny Allman-Payne.
The Inquiry is looking into how well older Australians can access home care, the impact of co-payments, the adequacy of financial hardship assistance, and the impact of Support at Home on the residential aged care system.
The Inquiry has already held two hearings. The first was in April and called at short notice on the eve of the Easter holiday. The Committee interrogated representatives of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing over concerns about the Integrated Assessment Tool. The second hearing was in June, with outgoing Inspector-General of Aged Care Natalie Siegel-Brown appearing.
Support at Home a “debacle”
The Department has also been uploading submissions to the website, with 37 parties’ submissions posted to date.
A submission from advocate Peter Willcocks on behalf of the Australian Self-managed Support At Home Consumer Core Group said Support at Home is a “debacle” that is “not fit for purpose”. Co-contributions have led to “severe hardship” as people opt out of care, he wrote.
The upcoming hearings are likely to air similar concerns.
Submissions to the Inquiry remain open until 31 July 2026.
