Uniting urges swift passage of Aged Care Bills, warns of urgent implementation issues

Uniting NSW.ACT has called on the Senate to pass two key pieces of aged care legislation “without further delay”, while also warning of pressing challenges that must be addressed to ensure older Australians receive the best possible care.

In its submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Aged Care (Accommodation Payment Security) Levy Amendment Bill 2025 and the Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, the organisation said the reforms would provide “certainty to older people and the aged care sector”.

“We believe that these Bills should be passed without further delay to provide certainty to older people and the aged care sector,” Uniting stated.

Uniting, which provides aged care services to more than 27,000 older people across 70 residential homes, state-wide home care, and 90 retirement villages, used the opportunity to highlight “urgent issues” in the rollout of the new Aged Care Act.

While supportive of the legislative changes, the provider stressed the need for the Australian Government to act swiftly on practical concerns emerging from sector experience.

“We strongly encourage the Inquiry to recommend that the Bills are passed with recommendations for the Australian Government to act on the advice provided within this submission,” the organisation wrote.

The submission outlines areas where policy intent risks being undermined by operational hurdles, and where regulatory clarity will be crucial for providers to deliver on the reform’s promises. These include:

• Ensuring transitional arrangements are realistic and adequately resourced.
• Addressing funding and workforce challenges that could hamper implementation.
• Clarifying the interface between the new legislative framework and existing aged care service delivery models.

Uniting also underscored its commitment to working alongside government to ensure reforms translate into meaningful improvements for older Australians.

“We are drawing on our experience as a provider… to drive solutions to systemic issues so people experiencing disadvantage can live their best lives.”

The Senate Community Affairs Committee is expected to report on the Bills later this year, with aged care stakeholders watching closely to see whether recommended changes will address the concerns raised by providers like Uniting.