To: Parliament of Australia and the Minister for Aged Care & Seniors, The Hon Sam Rae
Respect & Support Older Australians - Deliver Dignified Aged Care Now
Australia has a proud history of community, care and intergenerational solidarity. But right now, the system meant to support our older Australians is failing too many of us. Too many elders are waiting months or even years for a home-care package. When it comes, often they're told they don't qualify for the support they need, or need to provide it for themselves. Too many are forced into residential care when they’d rather stay safe and connected at home. And too many care workers – often women, often under-paid and undervalued – are doing heroic work with minimal support.
We call on the Parliament of Australia and the Minister for Aged Care & Seniors to:
- Immediately allocate and legislate for a demand-driven home-care package system, so that every older Australian assessed as eligible receives the care they need within 30 days.
- Enact legislation in the next parliamentary session to secure workforce pay and conditions for aged-care workers – including enforceable minimum wage and staffing ratios – because quality care starts with a valued workforce.
- Guarantee that older Australians have the right to age at home, with government-funded supports (home modifications, transport, personal care) provided as a matter of right – not rationed by budget caps or long wait-lists.
- Ensure that the rights contained in the new Aged Care Act are fully realised – especially for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander elders, culturally-appropriate care, full transparency of costs and provider accountability.
Why is this important?
Across Australia, too many older people are trapped in an aged-care system that treats them like numbers on a form instead of human beings with rights, dignity and agency.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
“What’s your primary health condition?”
“I have multiple equally primary health conditions.”
“You have to pick one.”
After 40 years of disability, I was told “pain it is then.”
I asked for help with home maintenance and meal preparation – but there was only one provider. They couldn’t guarantee staff would be masked or vaccinated, and I wasn’t allowed to choose someone I trust.
When I explained I couldn’t afford supermarket meals on a pension, I was told the provider’s books were closed – “buy prepared meals yourself.”
I thought I could choose my own provider, but was told I’m “on CHSP” and “don’t need higher level care.” I still don’t understand what that means – only that I’m left without the help I need.
This is not an isolated story. It’s the experience of so many people who’ve worked, cared, and contributed all their lives, now caught in a maze of red tape and underfunding.
Every older Australian deserves:
- Choice and control over who provides their care
- Timely support instead of months-long waiting lists
- Respect for safety and consent, not one-size-fits-all providers
- Dignity in ageing, not confusion and neglect
When we ignore these failures, we betray the very people who built the communities we live in today. Fixing aged care isn’t charity, it’s justice. It’s about valuing life, care and connection at every age.
