Why we keep talking about rights in aged care

I was recently asked why we are pressing so hard for a rights-based Act from 1 July this year when there is a charter of human rights, and that charter is obligatory. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for us to hear stories where older Australian’s are robbed of their basic rights while in care.

The aged care royal commission recognised this power imbalance when it said that “the design of the aged care system meant older people and their families had limited power compared to providers and regulators”. It proposed a more t...