Topic - Opinion

A return to the dark days: Negative media headlines are back – can the sector pressure the Government for real change?

In 2018, just before the ABC’s Who Cares? program aired and the Morrison Government announced the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the headlines around home care and aged care turned bleak. Reading the papers this week, it’s...

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Lauren Broomham

20 hours ago

Opinion

What does the ‘voiding’ of the land lease DMF in Victoria mean for retirement villages?

By our calculation up to 35-40% of retirement village contracts could have their DMFs voided as well if applied across the country. We can’t see this actually happening but we do believe lawyers received a mid year Christmas present yesterday when...

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Chris Baynes

08 Jul 2025

Opinion

Moving deck chairs on the Titanic: Govt fails to shift the needle on aged care

The Albanese Government promised to fix aged care. But if this is “fixing it,” we’re in trouble. Let’s start with Example 1: Blair Comley’s 2025 Departmental Briefing to Health Minister Mark Butler – obtained via FOI – doesn’t list...

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Lauren Broomham

03 Jul 2025

Opinion

Going nowhere fast: aged care is shrinking yet the sector’s money keeps growing

KPMG’s latest deep dive into the aged care sector is out today – and it confirms what many of us already know. Demand is rising. So is the money. But the sector? It’s still shrinking. Take home care. Government funding soared 29.2% to $8.8...

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Lauren Broomham

26 Jun 2025

Opinion

Two retirement living surveys deliver 3,330 new village homes a year: $2.5B in new sales

Optimism has been the theme of the LEADERS SUMMIT for the past two years and there was clearly positive emotions at the Retirement Living Council national conference in Brisbane last week. And here is why: new retirement village development is back...

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Ian Horswill

24 Jun 2025

Opinion

Reaping what we sow: No aged care beds. Now what? Time for Plan T

Australia’s aged care sector is in crisis – and no one should be surprised. After years of underbuilding, we’re now paying the price. Our analysis of GEN Aged Care Data shows that between 2020-21 and 2023-24, South Australia added just 253...

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Lauren Broomham

19 Jun 2025

Opinion

It took a 28-year-old to reboot the retirement living sector – at speed

Adrian Puljich was 28 years of age when he conceived GemLife and then convinced Singapore diversified investment business Thakral Corporation to commit 50% of funds to create the business. Nine years later it is valued at $1.58 billion. How did he...

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Chris Baynes

16 Jun 2025

Aged Care

Plan T: urgent ‘transformation’ needed to future-proof aged care for residents and operators

With aged care home occupancy over 95%, 85,000-plus on home care wait lists, and thousands stuck in hospitals, Australia’s aged care system is already operating beyond capacity – and facing a demographic tidal wave.

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Chris Baynes

12 Jun 2025

Chris Baynes

Plan T: Transformation – an action plan for positive change in the aged care system is required

The aged care system is bogged down from years of rules and regulations piling on top of each other to the point where it is now grossly inefficient and failing to deliver optimum care equally across the country.

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Chris Baynes

12 Jun 2025

Opinion

War of words threatens every retirement village with a big financial hit

The council for a tourist city in Queensland, which has seven retirement villages, shows no care for residents as it creates new rules that will cost $60+ million p.a. nationally. The Retirement Living Council has been on the residents’ side in an...

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Ian Horswill

10 Jun 2025

Opinion

Why the delayed Aged Care Act is a double-edged sword

Just 17 business days out from its long-awaited start, the Federal Government has delayed the new Aged Care Act – again. It’s the third time the legislation has been pushed back, and while the pause has been welcomed by peak bodies and providers, make no mistake: this delay comes at a cost.

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Lauren Broomham

05 Jun 2025

Opinion

Will AI be the workforce saviour for delivering home care into retirement villages?

It is our 100th edition, and we are looking forward at what is known to be coming and what the leading thinkers say is required across retirement living, home care and residential care to deliver best client outcomes, a positive bottom line and...

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Chris Baynes

02 Jun 2025

Opinion

Home care hellscape: why the wait list should be the new Minister’s first priority

On paper, Australia’s home care system is expanding. Another 107,000 Home Care Packages are set to be rolled out from 1 July. But for many older Australians, that help will come too late – if it comes at all. As we report in this issue, average...

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Lauren Broomham

29 May 2025