With the 2025 Federal Election two days away, the Liberal National Coalition has positioned aged care reform as a campaign cornerstone, promising to eliminate the home care waitlist for older Australians.
Currently, 83,000 seniors face delays of up to 15 months for Home Care Packages (HCPs), often forcing them into residential care prematurely. Led by Opposition health and aged care spokeswoman Anne Ruston, this pledge could transform lives, though its feasibility compared to Labor’s reforms merits examination.
The Home Care Waitlist Crisis
The home care waitlist has surged, growing from 30,000 to 83,000 in two years. Six months ago, 81,194 seniors were waiting, with average delays of six months across all package levels and up to 11 months for higher-level care, according to Department of Health and Aged Care data.
These delays, ranging from six to 15 months, prevent seniors from accessing vital support, compromising their independence and wellbeing. For many, the prolonged wait forces a difficult choice: enter residential care earlier than desired or struggle without adequate help at home.
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety emphasised urgency, with Recommendation 25 calling for more HCPs to ensure timely access.
The Coalition’s commitment to achieve zero wait times, announced by Ruston at the National Support at Home Conference, directly tackles this crisis. By prioritising waitlist elimination, the Coalition seeks to deliver immediate relief, preserving seniors’ ability to age at home and aligning with the Royal Commission’s vision of dignity and choice.
Coalition’s Plan: Strengths and Questions
The Coalition’s focus on clearing waitlists is clear and compelling, addressing a critical issue for seniors facing the risk of premature residential care. Unlike Labor’s broader reforms, described by some providers as complex and overwhelming, the Coalition’s targeted approach could expedite HCP delivery.
Their record of adding 80,000 HCPs in their last two years in government, reducing wait times to 30 days, supports their capability to scale up package availability.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s budget reply bolsters aged care indirectly. His plan to halve fuel excise by 25 cents a litre could save home care workers, who travel to clients, up to $700 annually, easing financial strain.
His National Gas Plan, aiming to lower energy costs, could reduce household bills for seniors and provider expenses, redirecting resources to care. These measures complement the waitlist pledge, addressing both care access and cost of living pressures.
However, the plan lacks detailed costings and a workforce strategy. Eliminating the waitlist requires funding for more HCPs and enough providers and staff to deliver them.
The Royal Commission flagged workforce shortages as a key barrier, yet the Coalition’s proposal focuses on package numbers, with less emphasis on staffing or provider capacity. Delivering zero wait times will demand a comprehensive plan to address these gaps.
Labor’s Reforms: Comprehensive but Slow
Labor, under Aged Care Minister Anika Wells, has invested $3.6 billion to increase HCP availability, adding 24,100 packages in the 2024-25 Budget and 7,615 more in the Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook.
The 2025-26 Budget allocates $2.6 billion for aged care nurse pay rises and $291.6 million for ongoing reforms. The Aged Care Act 2024, effective July 2025, introduces the Support at Home Program, set to serve 1.5 million Australians by 2027. This program consolidates HCPs and other services, promising flexibility and transparency through measures like Star Ratings.
Despite these efforts, waitlists persist, with delays of four to 15 months for higher level packages pushing some seniors into residential care sooner than necessary. Providers have raised concerns about the Support at Home rollout, citing administrative challenges and affordability issues.
The shift to direct consumer billing could strain smaller providers, risking reduced choice. Labor’s reforms, while ambitious, spread resources across systemic issues like staffing and quality standards, slowing progress on waitlists.
Comparing Priorities for Seniors
Both parties acknowledge the aged care crisis, but their approaches differ. The Coalition’s targeted waitlist elimination directly addresses the risk of seniors being forced into residential care due to delays, offering urgent relief.
Labor’s reforms tackle broader challenges but risk leaving waitlist applicants waiting, potentially driving more into residential facilities. The Royal Commission’s 148 recommendations call for immediate action and long term investment, a balance neither fully achieves.
For seniors, the Coalition’s pledge could mean faster HCP access, preserving their ability to stay at home. Labor’s Support at Home Program, if successful, might create a sustainable system but delays relief for those currently waiting.
The Coalition’s cost of living measures, like cheaper fuel and energy, provide immediate benefits, giving their plan an edge for urgent needs.
Looking Ahead
The Coalition’s pledge to eliminate home care waitlists offers a vital lifeline for Australia’s seniors, preventing the six to 15 month delays that force many into residential care prematurely.
Their history of expanding HCPs and cost of living reliefs strengthen their case, though funding and workforce details are critical. Labor’s reforms, while forward looking, struggle to deliver timely results, with waitlists still growing.
As election day fast approaches, the choice hinges on whether seniors prioritise immediate care access or a slower systemic overhaul. The Coalition’s commitment to zero waitlists provides hope for those at risk of losing independence, but its success depends on execution
For older Australians, this election is a chance to shape an aged care system that delivers when it matters most.
Labor and LNP did a bi-partisan deal, just before Xmas 2024 and the summer break, to pass an incomplete new Aged Care Act.
The blocked real change asked for by the Greens and independents. Last minute vote grab by Ruston
The labour government don’t care for the elderly, who have spent many years working to build Australia. To all most force people into don’t “care home” before they are ready
is cruel. Their pockets are well filled with cash plus the perks of large pensions on their retirement.