Aged Care Industry Updates

For 16 residents living in Merriwa, a small town in the Upper Hunter Shire of New South Wales, their security is reaching a tipping point.

​As Australia’s federal election campaign intensifies, both major parties are spotlighting aged care in their policy platforms, unveiling funding commitments aimed at enhancing services in underserved regions.​

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission could be significantly impacted if the Coalition wins the election and implements a freeze on public service recruitment, potentially resulting in up to 26% of the existing workforce being lost.

Bupa Aged Care is at the centre of a new class action issued by Echo Law alleging that between July 1, 2019, and April 11, 2025, Bupa failed to provide the quality of care it promised to residents, and that it was required to deliver under law.

The 13th Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards were held this week as part of the World Ageing Festival in Singapore, with Australian organisations picking up 11 awards.

With the Federal Election just over three weeks away, the Minister for Sport and Aged Care, Anika Wells, appeared on 4BC Breakfast this morning with Peter Fegan in a rare appearance directly answering listener questions. 

Since the Aged Care Star Ratings system was introduced, mainstream media coverage of the star ratings system has often defaulted to headline-grabbing summaries.

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has announced that it is investigating 20 aged care organisations across Australia to ensure staff are receiving the right pay and entitlements. 

An $18 million ‘error’ is the latest financial concern to arise from the Department of Health and Aged Care’s digital transformation journey.

Earlier in the year, the University of Queensland achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first university to be formally recognised by Dementia Australia as a Dementia-Friendly Organisation.