The 2025 Federal Budget has seen the Government commit to $291.6 million over five years to continue implementing aged care reforms, along with the previously announced $2.6 billion to fund pay rises for aged care nurses.
We welcome the commitment to investing in our aged care workforce. As the population continues to age and the demand for aged care services grows, we need compassionate, dedicated and skilled people to care for older Australians.
However, while we recognise much needed workforce funding, we would like to see a commitment to a medium to long-term multi-pronged workforce strategy that goes beyond free TAFE courses.
As we embark on a new era with the introduction of the new Aged Care Act on 1 July, we also share concerns that budget for funding reforms has been only directed towards administration.
As it stands, there is shortfall of reform funding that supports providers to transition to the new act and the Support at Home Program.
With 1 July fast approaching, Juniper is working hard to make sure everything is in place to ensure we can continue to deliver quality services to our customers.
We are ready to support the Federal Government in delivering on its commitment to aged care and will continue to work closely with them to ensure this transition is a success.
We have not seen from the Budget how the now 80,000 people currently waiting for a Home Care Package will receive funding. We also seek clarity on how the Budget will address future demand for Home Care Packages so unacceptable wait times for people do not continue.
As we look to the Federal election and beyond, we will continue to advocate for:
- A sector-wide workforce strategy to address supply and demand and improve recruitment, retention and conditions for aged care workers.
- Demand-drive home care to clear the current waiting list and ensure ongoing supply to meet future demand.
- An increase to the Aged Care Resident Supplement to align funding with the cost of capital, inflation to alleviate financial pressures on providers and improve quality care.
It’s an historic year for aged care. Juniper is committed to helping drive and support meaningful reform to ensure everyone has the right to access the quality of care they deserve.
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