Why Labor’s shiny new aged care scheme is a $10b rip-off

February 18, 2026 — 4:01am

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Remove items from your saved list to add more.

Save this article for later

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.

When the new Aged Care Act came into force in November 2025, the language was unequivocal. “We owe Australian families a system that works on the day they need it, and every day after,” Aged Care and Seniors Minister Sam Rae said. It sounded like a line drawn under decades of disappointment.

However, aged care has become a masterclass in overpromising and underdelivering – while quietly saving the federal budget billions of dollars.

The first failure happens before people even enter the system. My Aged Care’s phone interview is now a gatekeeper, not a guide. Give the “wrong” answer – misunderstand a question, downplay a symptom or simply have a good day – and you can find you’re not eligible for an assessment. You are out before you even get........

© Brisbane Times