The Federal Government has released the Aged Care Rules 2025, finalising the supporting legislation for the new Aged Care Act just weeks before it commences on 1 November.
Published by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the 666-page instrument sets out requirements for provider registration, care and services obligations, pricing and payment arrangements, quality standards, complaints handling, and compliance and enforcement processes.
The Rules, issued in four stages since October 2024, also establish the Code of Conduct, funding mechanisms, the role of the digital platform operator, liquidity management requirements, and the broader regulatory framework. Some provisions carry over from the current system, while others introduce new compliance obligations.
Their release follows the passage of supporting legislation earlier this month, which secured Senate approval after the Government agreed to release an additional 40,000 Home Care Packages by the end of 2025.
Peak body Ageing Australia had called for the Rules to be finalised earlier to give providers more preparation time. With the framework now complete, providers must interpret the requirements and implement systems to ensure compliance ahead of the Act’s commencement in five weeks.
