Two new senate inquiries announced into aged care – if inquiries are a gong of alarm, how much percussion will it take for the commonwealth to hear?

As two new senate inquiries join the list of approved investigations to be conducted, it begs the question if policy-makers are yet listening to the fault-lines in current policy. These fault-lines continue to bely the sustainability of aged care for both Australia and its seniors now and for the decades ahead.

The heart of concern about the reforms of aged care can largely be boiled down to two key factors, sustainability for seniors and sustainability for the nation. Care, whether in-home or RAC must be accessible and affordable for seniors to safeguard their health, dignity and humanity. Likewise, the schemes and programs must be logistically and financially viable for the nation, with cost manageable for the tax-payers of today and in thirty or fifty years. Akin to healthcare, the sector of aged care is a pillar of modern Australian society and is due its strength and longevity.

Senate announcement – two more inquiries

The senate has announced that it has voted to establish an additional two Senate inquiries into the current government’s aged care reforms; Noting from wide sources that the changes are of increasing concern and are likely to fail senior Australians, as well as the sector.

Voicing her concern, and tapping into a vein of particular concern by advocates, that seniors were unaware and not ready for the change in prices under the new changes to care, particularly in-home care, Senator Allman-Payne of the Greens says, “Labor’s Minister for Aged Care, Sam Rae, has tried to hide the truth of these aged care changes, but now the reality is setting in and older Australians are waking up to new care arrangements they cannot afford.”

Completed: inquiry one – “aged care service delivery”

The inquiries into aged care have not been paced at leisure, they are coming in rapid succession. Handed down last month, the initial senate inquiry into “Aged Care Service Delivery” looked into the interim time in the lead up to Nov 1 and the new Act.

The report conveyed that the aged care waitlist for in-home packages had swelled to more than double what had been previously stated and relayed to media, now at well over 200,000. Greens senators on the committee note that the inquiry was core to forcing the hand of the commonwealth to release the 20,000 home care packages early; They too comment that the initial delay was done so needlessly.

Inquiry two – transition from chsp

The senate is set to closely investigate the government’s upcoming plans to transition away from the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP). Serving 800,000 senior Australians, at-home supports within this scheme are seen as integral to many seniors, as voiced by their loved ones and advocates.

Government messaging has indicated that there is an established move to transition away from the CHSP into Support at Home, with the former program only being funded until 30 June 2027. 

Greens spokespersons say that the government has so far refused to answer questions posed about the impacts of ceasing CHSP, and the subsequent impact of increased demand on an already struggling Support at Home waitlist.

Examining to move away from “block funding” which underpins the work of providers like Meals on Wheels, will be a core aspect of the inquiry. The Greens have voiced their concern that existing services working well may be forced to close their doors and the need to understand this potential impact is high.

Senator Allman-Payne, set to chair both of the new inquiries, has weighed in on the impetus for those that voted to approve them. Certainly seeming to hear the percussive cacophony of alarm, Allman-Payne notes, “Older Australians are still dying waiting a year or more for care, and rather than boost needed supports like the Community Home Support Program, they’re planning to close them.”

The report is to be handed down by 15 April 2026.

Inquiry three – support at home scheme accessibility

Sustained and growing concern over the implementation, core structure of and possible grievous consequences of the newly activated Support at Home scheme will receive its own focused inquiry. 

The news of the inquiry is likely indicative of senators both hearing and responding to what is arguably a cacophony of alarm from a wide range of industry leaders, experts and advocates across the aged care space.

Central to the inquiry is an investigation into the realistic ability and opportunity for senior Australians to be able to access in-home care at all, under the Support at Home program. A key aspect of the growing concern to be examined, which has been noted by the Greens party, is the depth and scope of impact of the scheme’s updated pricing mechanisms, pointedly, the co-payments structure.

Senator Allman-Payne has stated, “The Greens will ensure older Australians and their advocates are heard, and fight to fix this system so that everyone can access the care they need at the time that they need it.”

The report is to be handed down by Tuesday of the last sitting week of November 2026.

Impossible choices

Industry leaders and advocates are lauding particular areas of focus that have been listed by the Greens, and by extension, the chair-person, Senator Allman-Payne.

Under close examination will be if everyday older Australians will be able to easily access in-home services to safely live, with dignity, at home. Advocates have long voiced that choosing between a shower or meal is shocking.

Kathy Eagar, adjunct professor at UNSW and QUT says, “We are one of the wealthiest countries in the world. We should not be asking older people to choose between a shower and a meal. It’s unethical.”

Inaccessible home care impacts hospitals and rac

Particularly of note is the inquiry’s scope to investigate the potential impacts on the residential aged care system and hospitals. Widely discussed has been the short-sighted policy impact of limiting access to in-home services and the grievous consequences of this, not just on seniors entering into hospital prematurely but becoming stuck there with no options of discharge.

The state of already straining hospitals, which experts say must be freed to serve the nation as a whole, has come under significant fire from state health ministers, with calls for reform intensifying across the nation.

Supporting seniors to stay at home longer and healthier is not just a humane issue, it’s one of long-term strategy. Many respected, seasoned and insightful leaders in the public space, as well as health, and aged care have been unequivocal, if reform supports seniors at home, to stay there longer and healthier, the burden on hospitals (both financial and bed availability) will be able to be eased. With those in hospital who don’t need to be there, six-year-old data estimates place costs upwards of $3000 -$5000 a day. Hospital care is growing problematically unaffordable for the nation.

Easing the monumental strain on hospitals is integral, as well as being able to give space for RAC providers to tackle the obstacle-ridden construction environments (another gong for reform) they face to build beds in one of the most expensive countries to do so globally.

Investing for sustainability

As Juniper’s CEO has repeatedly conveyed, constructing dynamic and sustainable in-home services for seniors should be seen for what it is, an investment with returns. Returns being humane, in propping up a system that supports seniors to be healthier and happier longer at home, as well as strategic and sustainable, to mitigate the premature entry into far more expensive forms of care shouldered by the tax-payer, such as hospitals and RAC. 

Investing in policy and schemes that will work for thirty or fifty years to come is smart, strategic and simply what Australia needs.