A reminder to residential aged care providers:
- The Senate is currently reviewing the Aged Care Rules 2025, and submissions are open.
- This is not a review of whether resident rights matter — that question is settled.
It isa review of whether the Rules, as written and implemented, are clear, proportionate and workable in practice.
If you’re experiencing:
- escalating documentation and evidencing demands,
- tension between resident autonomy and duty of care,
- complexity around HELF and consent,
- difficulties aligning funding with expanded expectations, or
- challenges unique to regional or small providers,
This is the right forum to say so.
It’s also worth saying this plainly: more submissions do add weight.
When multiple providers independently raise similar issues, those concerns are no longer treated as isolated examples — they become recognised implementation themes. That’s how Senate committees assess whether a problem is systemic rather than anecdotal.
Submissions don’t need to be legalistic. They don’t need to be long.What matters is explaining how the Rules actually operate on the ground, and where assumptions don’t hold.
Constructive, evidence-based input from providers is exactly what helps improve regulation — not weaken it.
If you care about the long-term sustainability of residential aged care, I strongly encourage you to make a submission.
