The Australian Parliament passed the Aged Care Act 2024 on 25 November 2024, overhauling how aged care works in this country. Starting 1 July 2025, this new law will change everything about how older Australians receive care, whether at home, in the community, or in residential facilities. For the first time, the system will focus on what older people need rather than what’s convenient for providers.
Why We Needed Change
The current aged care system has been broken for years. The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety made this crystal clear – our laws were built around funding providers, not helping older people. The existing Aged Care Act 1997, along with two other related laws, created a mess of bureaucracy that failed those who needed care most.
These old laws will be scrapped completely. The new Act responds to 58 recommendations from the Royal Commission, addressing everything from basic safety to fundamental human dignity. Anyone who followed the Royal Commission’s hearings knows how badly this reform was needed.
What’s Actually Changing
The new law creates one entry point for all aged care services. No more bouncing between different systems or filling out multiple forms. There will be clear rules about who qualifies for what, and a single assessment process that considers cultural needs and personal circumstances.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission gets real teeth under this law. They can investigate problems, force providers to fix issues, and hand out serious penalties when things go wrong. This isn’t just paperwork – it’s about making sure providers actually do their jobs properly.
Most importantly, the law puts older people in charge of their own care. It sounds obvious, but the current system often treats older people like they can’t make decisions for themselves.
Your Rights Under the New Law
The Statement of Rights sits at the heart of this new system. These aren’t feel-good statements – they’re legal rights that providers must respect:
You get to make your own decisions about your life and care. Providers can’t just override what you want because it’s easier for them. You have the right to information that helps you make good choices, presented in ways you can understand.
You can communicate your needs and preferences without being ignored or dismissed. Safety and respect aren’t optional extras – they’re basic requirements. Your cultural background, beliefs, and identity matter and must be respected.
Staying connected to your community and maintaining relationships remains your choice, not something that gets sacrificed for administrative convenience.
What Providers Must Do Now
Aged care providers face much stricter requirements under this law. They must prove they understand these rights and have systems in place to respect them. No more lip service or token policies.
Every provider needs proper complaints systems that actually resolve problems quickly and fairly. They must follow strengthened Quality Standards and demonstrate they’re constantly working to improve their services.
The Code of Conduct for Aged Care workers becomes mandatory, setting clear expectations for professional behavior. Providers who cut corners or ignore these requirements will face real consequences.
Getting Help When Things Go Wrong
The new law creates multiple ways to address problems. Start with your provider – they’re required to have complaints systems that actually work. If that fails, you can take your concerns to the Quality and Safety Commission without worrying about payback.
The Commission can investigate, demand action, and monitor providers more closely when problems arise. For serious breaches, they can impose heavy financial penalties or force providers to fix problems at their own expense.
This isn’t about creating more bureaucracy – it’s about making sure older people have somewhere to turn when providers fail them.
Getting Support with Decisions
Some older people want or need help making decisions about their care. The new registered supporter role formalizes this help while keeping you in control. If you currently have someone listed as your representative in My Aged Care, they’ll automatically become your registered supporter unless you opt out before 30 June 2025.
This change recognizes that needing support doesn’t mean giving up your right to make your own choices. It’s about getting help when you want it, not having decisions made for you.
Protection for Speaking Up
One of the biggest problems in aged care has been people staying quiet about problems because they fear retaliation. The new law protects anyone who reports issues – whether you’re receiving care, working in the system, or supporting someone who needs care.
You can report concerns to multiple places: the Quality and Safety Commission, government departments, providers themselves, police, or independent advocates. You can do this in person, by phone, in writing, or even anonymously.
The law protects your identity and shields you from punishment for speaking up. There are limited exceptions, mainly when sharing information is necessary for investigations or preventing serious harm.
Who This Affects
This law touches everyone connected to aged care. If you’re an older person receiving services, your rights are now legally protected and enforceable. Families and carers get clearer pathways for raising concerns and supporting their loved ones.
Aged care workers operate under clearer professional standards with better protection when they report problems. Providers face stricter requirements but also clearer guidelines about what’s expected.
Government agencies – the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the Quality and Safety Commission, and Services Australia – all have enhanced roles in making this system work properly.
The Aged Care Act 2024 doesn’t just tweak the existing system – it rebuilds it from the ground up with older people at the center. After years of inquiries, scandals, and failures, Australia finally has aged care laws that prioritize dignity, choice, and quality care.
The real test comes with implementation. Laws on paper mean nothing without proper enforcement and genuine commitment from everyone involved. But for the first time in decades, older Australians have a legal framework that treats them as people with rights, not problems to be managed.
This represents the most significant aged care reform in Australian history. Whether it succeeds depends on how well it’s implemented and whether all stakeholders commit to putting older people first.
