Starting 1 November 2025, a new Aged Care Act will come into effect, designed to better respond to the challenges faced by older people, aged care providers, workers, and the aged care sector.
This new legislation will place the rights of older people at the centre of the aged care system, ensuring their needs and dignity guide how services are delivered.
The New Act:
- Clearly outlines the rights of older people seeking and accessing aged care services
- Creates a single-entry point with clear eligibility requirements
- Introduces a fair, culturally safe single assessment framework
- Supports the delivery of high-quality aged care services
- Establishes new system oversight and accountability mechanisms
- Increases provider accountability through a new regulatory model
- Strengthens the role and powers of the aged care regulator
Statement of Rights
A central feature of the new Act is the Statement of Rights. This statement defines the rights that all older people should expect when accessing government-funded aged care services, ensuring their needs and preferences remain the priority.
Older people have the right to:
- Make decisions about their own lives
- Have their decisions respected and accepted
- Receive information and support to make informed choices
- Communicate their wishes, needs, and preferences freely
- Feel safe, respected, and valued
- Have their culture and identity acknowledged and honoured
- Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards
Strengthened Quality Standards will commence on 1 November 2025, alongside the new Aged Care Act.
The strengthened Quality Standards are designed to deliver a better aged care experience. The new standards will be used by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission as the basis of their compliance and continuous improvement work, they do with aged care providers.
There are seven standards aged care providers need to meet.
- Standard 1: The individual
- Standard 2: The organisation
- Standard 3: The care and services
- Standard 4: The environment
- Standard 5: Clinical care
- Standard 6: Food and nutrition
- Standard 7: The residential community
More information
For more information, visit the Australian Government Department of Health Aged Care website.