More commitment to reform from the Gillard Government

Another indication of the Gillard Government’s commitment to aged care reform has been well received within the industry.

According to The Australian, the new chair of the government’s social policy caucus committee, Shayne Neumann, has signalled the need for significant aged care reform.

Mr Neumann told the paper that aged care was in need of an overhaul because it was unsustainable.

“The nurses’ federation has undertaken some really strong campaigns to increase wage entitlements for nurses and others in the aged care sector and we’ve got to make aged care providers profitable so we need some significant reform in this regard,” Mr Neumann said.

“We need to ensure that aged care is viable because of the challenges of the intergenerational report,” he said.

Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) has welcomed Mr Neumann’s comments, describing them as a positive sign.

The associaiton’s CEO, Greg Mundy said the focus on aged care reform had been a continuing theme in recent months.

“There have been lots of good indications recently, with what the Red Book had to say, what the Henry tax review had to say, the positive statements from Mark Butler and now these comments from [Mr] Neumann,” he said.

Mr Mundy said he had been involved in “good discussions” about aged care with Mr Neumann in the past.

He said the recent comments were particularly welcome in the lead up to the hand down of the Productivity Commission’s aged care inquiry next April.

“It was more recognition that we need to change the system to make it more user friendly and to set it up better to cope with increased demand,” he said.

“It all seems to be indicating that the government is quite serious about changing aged care.

“It hasn’t happened for a while. You notice it because of what it’s not – it’s not a case of them saying, ‘Things are going OK’ or ‘She’ll be right’. It’s the most positive environment for aged care that I’ve seen in my time.”