This policy document details the First Nations-specific reforms to the new Aged Care Act that started on1 November 2025.
This new Act resulted from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the new Act embeds the right to:
access culturally safe, trauma-aware and healing- informed assessments and aged care services
stay connected to community and Country
This work will help their aged care access and care experiences through:
increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander assessment organisations that can safely support service assessments of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
continuing to support more local Elder Care Support workforce, who help older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with information and their aged care services
increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged care workforce in local services
supporting mainstream aged care providers to ensure they can provide safe aged care experiences for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
continuing to support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector in their aged care service delivery quality