The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) has welcomed the passage of the new Aged Care Act through the Senate last night, calling it a significant win for older people.
OPAN Director, Policy and Systemic Advocacy Samantha Edmonds said this was a historic moment, enshrining the rights of older people in legislation.
"This has been a long time coming, and we thank the Parliament for passing this important legislation before the end of the year," Ms Edmonds said.
"We have long advocated for a rights-based Act which puts older people at the centre of the legislation, and we have achieved that.
"We are pleased to see that there will be a positive duty on providers to understand and deliver services to older people in line with the statement of rights.
"While this is an excellent step forward, there is more work to be done.
"Reform of this scale will take time to implement – and we need to ensure the rules uphold the rights of older people.
"OPAN will continue to work closely with the Government, our fellow peaks and aged care providers on the implementation of the Act, ensuring older people are engaged in the process.
"We will do this through our ongoing systemic advocacy and in our capacity as a member on the Aged Care Transition Taskforce, as well as through our on-the-ground advocates who work tirelessly to protect and promote the rights of older people.
"We would like to thank all Parliamentarians for their efforts to pass this legislation, and we look forward to seeing the benefits of it in the years to come."
