An Albanese Labor Government will stop the neglect and put security, dignity, quality and humanity back into aged care for older Australians.
Our plan will put nurses back into nursing homes, giving carers more time to care. It will lift wages in the sector, deliver better care and improve transparency and accountability.
Our detailed five-point plan will:
- Require a registered nurse on site 24/7 in residential care
- Give carers more time to care through an increase to 215 minutes of direct care a day
- Formally support a pay rise for aged care workers
- Require better food for residents
- Require more transparency in the system so we know taxpayers’ money is going on care
The global pandemic and a Royal Commission have confirmed what so many Australians already knew – our aged care system is in crisis.
More of us are living long enough to need extra care in our later years. But currently that thought fills a generation of Australians and their families with dread.
We acknowledge that there are aged care workers who show up to work every day and do their absolute best. And they will be the first to tell you that the system is at breaking point.
Australians fear that the final chapter of their life and the lives of those they love will be an aged care facility that can barely meet their needs, let alone afford them real dignity.
For far too long the Morrison-Joyce Government has turned a blind eye to operators who put profit ahead of the people – they can’t be trusted to fix their broken system.
Labor deeply believes that the older Australians who built this country deserve aged care homes that genuinely look after them.
We will make aged care a place people want to work, knowing that they will be respected and valued for the unique work they do.
Labor’s plan will change aged care in this country for the better, end the neglect and ensure older Australians and their families receive the care they deserve.