Anglicare Australia strongly supports the development of a rights-based Act. We welcome the inclusion of rights to exercise choice and receive dignity of risk, fair, equitable and non-discriminatory treatment. Some of our recommendations include:
- expanding the second proposed right, from equitable access to aged care assessment to include equitable access to aged care services
- ensuring ongoing commitment to education and skills development around rights-based practice
- clarifying the homelessness threshold criteria to ensure access to aged care services for people aged 50-64 with histories of chronic homelessness
- ensuring that there is a well-resourced Commission and a strong regulatory framework that achieves a balance between protecting the rights, safety and wellbeing of those accessing services, while also encouraging provider innovation and culture change where necessary.