Key Takeaways – The New Aged Care Act 2024
- Goes live: 1 November 2025
- Why it’s happening: To improve quality, safety, and rights in aged care after the Royal Commission
- Who it affects: Older people, their families, aged care workers, providers, and government agencies
- What’s changing:
- Stronger rights and principles for older Australians
- Tougher quality standards and aCode of Conduct
- More oversight and monitoring by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
- Provider impact: New staffing models, updated care claiming processes, changes to budgets, and new rules for services and contributions
- Tied to: Launch of the Support at Home Program, merging Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care
What is the New Aged Care Act?
Following the Royal Commission into Aged Care, significant reforms were introduced to improve the quality and safety of the aged care sector for older adults.
A key part of this reform was updating the legislation — the Aged Care Act — which had been in effect since it was first introduced in 1997. The New Aged Care Act 2024 was passed by Parliament in late 2024 and will take effect on 1 November 2025.
These legislative changes pave the way for improvements to be rolled out in practice across the sector.
Who does the New Aged Care Act affect?
The New Aged Care Act impacts:
- Older adults receiving care
- Families and carers of older adults
- All aged care providers and aged care workers
- The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
- Services Australia
How does it improve quality and safety for older adults?
The Act is built on a rights-based framework with a statement of rights and principles, strengthened aged care quality standards, and a code of conduct.
Its purpose is to ensure that:
- Older adults remain at the centre of the care system
- Human rights are at the forefront of care delivery
- Providers are held accountable through ongoing monitoring
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will continue to oversee outcomes through various mechanisms, including the continued rollout, expansion, and refinement of Aged Care Quality Indicators.
What does the Act mean for aged care providers — how does it relate to Support at Home?
Whether you are a residential aged care provider or a community aged care provider previously operating under Home Care Packages or the Short-Term Restorative Care Program, the New Aged Care Act brings sweeping operational and care delivery changes.
The Act’s commencement is timed with the launch of the Support at Home Program, which merges the Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care Program into a single framework.
Changes for providers include:
- Adjustments to staffing models and ratios of care partners to participants
- New processes for entering care services into the system for claiming, aligned with updated business rules
- Updated approaches to participant package budgeting
- Changes in the types of services available and the rules around client contributions
Are there training and resources to help?
Yes — the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has created resources to guide providers through the changes. These cover:
- What the new law means for you
- How audits will work
- How to meet the business rules under the Support at Home Program
One of the biggest challenges is making sure all workers — current staff and new hires — understand their responsibilities.
You can find the link here: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/aged-care-act/prepare
How can Take 5 Learning help me know more?
We offer quick, bite-sized training modules that cover:
- The Aged Care Code of Conduct
- The Statement of Rights
- Strengthened Quality Standards
- The Serious Incident Reporting Scheme
These short courses are designed based on adult learning principles, so they’re practical, easy to understand, and focused on the most important things you need to know to meet the new requirements.
September 29, 2025
