Aged Care Act reforms: Government & industry must now focus on meeting the 3-month wait target  

By Greg Bartley, Dovida’s Chief Operating Officer  

I welcome today’s long-awaited reform to the Aged Care Act, however, the real challenge still lies ahead for our sector.  

The challenge – to partner with the Government to assist it delivering on its commitment to cut waiting times to three months by July 2027. 

This is an ambitious undertaking that will require significant coordination and resources across multiple fronts. 

The current system is under considerable pressure, and achieving this target will depend on providers and Government committing to sustained investment in infrastructure, workforce development and assessment capacity. 

According to our own client data, which spans more than 14,000 senior Australians, the average person receives in-home care for around two to three years before transitioning to residential care or end-of-life. 

As a sector we understand  that delays of even a few months, impact older Australians independence, choice and quality of life.  

The government’s commitment to the three-month target is commendable, as it acknowledges that every month of waiting represents a large proportion of someone’s remaining time to live independently. 

That’s why timely implementation is so critical.  

Older Australians don’t have years to wait for reform to take effect; they need it working now. 

It’s for this reason, I call for more focus on transparent progress reporting against the three-month target and coordinated investment in workforce, technology, and assessment capacity. 

We strongly support the government’s ambition, but ambition must be matched by action.  

As a sector we all stand ready to help achieve the target. This cannot be another missed opportunity for older Australians.