The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) and its members welcome the Albanese Government’s introduction of new Legislation which will ensure that a registered nurse (RN) is on-site in every nursing home 24/7 and that residents receive a minimum amount of safe, quality care every day.

The Aged Care Amendment (Implementing Care Reform) Bill 2022 delivers on the Prime Minister’s pre-election pledge to reform the troubled aged care sector and implement the Aged Care Royal Commission’s most critical recommendations.

“This is a truly historic day for ANMF members working in aged care,” ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said today.

“While implementation of these crucial reforms will take some time and will need to be phased in over the next two years, today marks the first real step towards actually fixing the aged care sector. After years of campaigning, ANMF members and aged care workers across the country will finally see results – the introduction of national safe staffing laws. The implementation of 24 hour RN presence and mandated minimum staff time in law, acts on one of the key recommendations of the Royal Commission and addresses the chronic understaffing in the aged care sector.

“These reforms, now to be enshrined in legislation, will ensure residents get the care they need and bring a halt to the neglect and suffering experienced by so many over the last decade.

“We commend Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Health and Aged Care Ministers, Mark Butler and Anika Wells, for fulfilling their pre-election commitments to fix aged care and implement the Royal Commission’s recommendations – for the sake of older Australians living in nursing homes and the nurses and care workers who look after them.

“The ANMF also welcomes the introduction of additional requirements on aged care providers to reveal how much they actually spend on ‘care, nursing, food, maintenance, cleaning, administration’ and their profits, which will bring much-needed accountability and transparency on the billions of taxpayer funds provided to nursing home operators.

“We look forward to working collaboratively with the Government and the new Parliament to ensure effective implementation of these reforms.”

The ANMF, with over 310,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and carers in Australia.

ANMF media inquiries: Richard Lenarduzzi 0411 254 390