UnitingCare welcomes deferral of new Aged Care Act

UnitingCare Queensland, operator of leading not-for-profit aged care provider BlueCare, welcomes the decision by the Australian Government to defer the commencement of the new Aged Care Act to 1 November 2025.

UnitingCare’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, Cathy Thomas, who is also a member of the National Aged Care Advisory Council, said the deferral would allow providers to work with older people to ensure they are prepared for the changes, and ensure their workforce is well-prepared for an effective transition to the new Act.

“As one of Queensland’s largest aged care providers through our BlueCare service, we support this sensible and strategic deferral, and thank the Ministers involved for their commitment to genuine listening and engagement with the aged care sector,” Ms Thomas said.

“UnitingCare has been actively engaged in the aged care reform process and remains committed to working with government and stakeholders to ensure the transition to the new Act delivers real improvements in care quality, access and equity.

“Supporting our customers through these changes is a key priority and this decision is good news for the more than 50,000 people we support each year living in their own homes in the community, as well as the more than 5,000 residents of our aged care homes across the state.

“This additional time will allow us to continue preparing our workforce, systems and services to deliver on the promise of a more person-centred, rights-based aged care system.

“We will continue to work closely with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, and sector partners, to ensure a smooth and successful implementation of the new Aged Care Act.”