The Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 and Aged Care (Accommodation Payment Security) Levy Amendment Bill 2025 returned to the Senate this week for further debate.
A report on the snap Senate Inquiry into the Bills was released last week, recommending the Bills be passed "without delay".
The second reading debate began on Tuesday, when South Australian Liberal Senator Anne Ruston said the Bills are integral to delivering the Aged Care Act 2024 and the recommendations of Aged Care Royal Commission.
"We will not be standing in the way of the passage of these bills," she said, "but—let me be very clear—the Aged Care Act 2024 was a package of reforms of the Labor Party's making. It was not an act co-designed alongside the coalition."
She said the Government has introduced the Bill to amend 325 items of the Aged Care Act 2024 that they "pushed through this parliament, refusing to pass any sensible amendments put forward by anybody in this chamber."
"Many of those could have been rectified during the debate on the Aged Care Act had the government listened to the sector and to the people in this chamber," Senator Rushton said.
"The coalition always knew a reform of this size could not be implemented in just a matter of months."
Senator Ruston was interrupted by Deputy President WA Senator Slade Brockman and debate was adjourned.
