List of recommendations

Recommendation 1

9.17The committee recommends that the Australian Government release all 83,000 packages promised prior to the 2025 federal election, before 30 June 2026.

Recommendation 2

9.18The committee recommends that the Australian Government make provision for additional Support at Home packages as a matter of urgency, to meet the needs of the over 200,000 older Australians who are either waiting for a package or waiting for an assessment for a package as identified by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

Recommendation 3

9.24The committee recommends that the Australian Government work towards ending the rationing of care packages in a timeframe that is consistent with the sector’s capacity to deliver the additional packages.

Recommendation 4

9.30The committee recommends the Senate refer to the Community Affairs References Committee the following matter for inquiry and report by the first sitting week of August 2026:

the timeline for the transition of the Community Home Support Programme to the Support at Home Program after 1 July 2027; and

the expected impact of this transition including on waiting periods for assessment and receipt of care; the lifetime cap of $15,000 on home modifications; and the End-of-Life Pathway time limits.

Recommendation 5

9.36The committee recommends the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing publish real-time information on both the waiting period for assessment and receipt of a home care service package; and review communication strategies to ensure that older people remain engaged with seeking assistance.

Recommendation 6

9.44The committee urges the Inspector-General of Aged Care to consider conducting an urgent review into the operation of the Single Assessment System.

Recommendation 7

9.53The committee recommends the Senate refer, to the Community Affairs References Committee, for inquiry and report by 15 April 2026, the expected impact of the Support at Home Program model on:

older Australians’ dignity, health, safety and access to care; and

the residential aged care system, and hospitals.

Recommendation 8

9.61The committee recommends that the Australian Government should consider the adequacy of daily living supports delivered through the at-home aged care system for older Australians living with a disability, in comparison with those delivered through the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Recommendation 9

9.65The committee recommends that the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, in consultation with allied health professionals, undertake an urgent review of the list of inclusions for the AT-HM scheme.

Recommendation 10

9.76The committee recommends that the Australian Government provides aged care service providers with a schedule for the release of places under the Home Care Packages Program and the Support at Home Program, which includes details on the volume of places, the timing of their release, and their geographical locations.

Recommendation 11

9.84The committee recommends that the Australian Government finalise its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems as a matter of urgency to ensure that providers can be ready to meet the requirements of the Aged Care Act 2024 on 1 November 2025.