List of recommendations

2.131The Committee recommends that the meaning of carer under section 5 of the Carer Recognition Act 2010 (the Act) be modernised and contextualised as a ‘care relationship’ to be more inclusive of the diversity of caring roles and to make it easier for carers to self-identify.

2.132The Committee considers that a person is in a ‘care relationship’ with another person if the first person (the carer) provides care for one or more of the following reasons:

the other person has a disability

the other person is experiencing mental ill health

the other person has a medical condition, including a terminal or chronic illness

the other person is frail and/or aged

the other person is experiencing alcohol or other drug dependence.

2.133The Committee considers the Act should specify that:

a person can be in multiple care relationships

children and young people under the age of 25 who provide care are young carers.

2.135The Committee recommends that the Australian Government works with the state and territories to harmonise the definition of carer across all carer recognition legislation, acknowledging respective Australian Government and state and territory care arrangements, and in data collection and reporting about the value of unpaid care.

2.136The Committee recommends that the Australian Government conduct a review of all federal laws relating to carers, and make amendments where needed, to ensure consistency with the revised Act. The review should be conducted within one year of the revised Act being established.

2.140The Committee recommends that, by December 2024, the Australian Government seek legal advice to determine how best to establish rights for carers. These rights should include:

being acknowledged as partners in care

being involved in planning and policy development

being provided with information regarding the person they care for in order to provide care

accessing flexible work arrangements.

2.143The Committee recommends that the Statement for Australia’s Carers is amended to include explicit recognition of:

First Nations carers

culturally and linguistically diverse carers

lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual and other sexually or gender diverse (LGBTIQA+) carers

young carers.

2.147The Committee recommends that the definition of ‘public service care agency’ under section 4 of the Act, and any further reference to ‘public service care agency’ is omitted.

2.148The Committee recommends that Part 3 of the Act be amended to require all public service agencies and associated providers to:

take all practicable measures to ensure that it and its employees and agents have an awareness of, and take action to, reflect the principles of the Statement for Australia’s Carers in developing, implementing, providing or evaluating care supports

develop internal human resources policies, so far as they may significantly affect an employee’s caring role, having due regard to the Statement for Australia’s Carers

consult carers, or bodies that represent carers, when developing or evaluating care supports.

2.149In addition, all public service agencies should be required to, in each reporting period, prepare a report that is to be included in the agency’s annual report, on:

the agency’s compliance with its obligations under the Act

its associated providers’ compliance with their obligations under the Act.

2.151The Committee recommends that the Act be amended to include a provision that requires the Minister, every five years, to review the operation and effectiveness of the Act, the Statement for Australia’s Carers, and the National Carer Strategy. A report on the Minister’s review must be tabled in Parliament.

3.117The Committee recommends that, in the next funding agreement, the Australian Government ensure there is a simple process for carers to gain support when it is most needed and strengthen the supports provided to carers via Carer Gateway by:

improving the quality and consistency of advice and client service by CarerGateway support providers through enhanced training and performance monitoring

expanding the operating hours of the helpline, including providing access to 24-hour crisis support

better integrating Carer Gateway with other key services that carers interact with, such as My Aged Care, the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Centrelink

relaxing requirements for carer assessments to be conducted in order to access support and ensuring that, under normal circumstances, carers receive no more than one assessment each year

allowing carers more flexibility to access supports that meet their needs such as practical and physical help at home

providing transparency around what supports carers are eligible to access, and more agency to carers to decide how to spend their support budgets.

3.118These reforms should be co-designed with carers and carers representatives.

3.121The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with the carer sector to identify capacity building for high-quality, respite care options that are appropriate for a diverse range of carers and the people they care for, including those that require complex care.

3.123The Committee recommends that the Australian Government examine how to increase access to high-quality counselling and mental health support options for a diverse range of carers.

3.125The Committee recommends that the new National Carer Strategy prioritise carers’ health and wellbeing, including through:

the implementation of standardised assessment frameworks for carers in healthcare settings

training for practitioners and other workers who interact with carers in identifying and supporting carers

consistent reporting of carer suicides and suicidality.

3.128The Committee recommends that the new National Carer Strategy include targeted support for First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) carers, including:

enhanced training and guidelines to encourage cultural safety and appropriate support for diverse communities for Carer Gateway service providers

fostering collaborative links between Carer Gateway service providers and First Nations and CALD community organisations to encourage culturally diverse carers to seek support and to help them navigate the support system

funding for First Nations and CALD community organisations to deliver CarerGateway services

establishing diversity targets to encourage greater engagement by CarerGateway service providers with diverse communities and more diversity in service users.

3.130The Committee recommends that, by December 2024, the suite of available training options offered by Carer Gateway be expanded to include manual handling, first aid, medication management and wound care, mental health first aid and suicide intervention. Options for in-person and online training should be provided.

3.134The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a process to handle complaints and address breaches of the Carer Recognition Act 2010.

3.136The Committee recommends that the new National Carer Strategy:

gives effect to the principles of the Act

includes actions to address the negative impacts that caring has on carers’ financial security, their mental and physical wellbeing, and their social relationships

is co-designed and monitored by carers and their representatives

has robust action plans, outcomes measurement and reporting and evaluation frameworks.

3.138The Committee recommends that the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) Survey of Disability and Carers (SDAC) be redesigned prior to the conduct of the 2025 survey to be representative of all carers as defined in a revised Act.

3.139The ABS should develop actions to ensure that First Nations carers, CALD carers and LGBTIQA+ carers are accurately represented in the SDAC.

3.141The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:

fund research and data mapping of carers

review the scope and design of the Carer Wellbeing Survey to ensure that it is representative of all carers, is longitudinal and collects sufficient evidence about carers’ health, wellbeing, and suicide risk factors.

3.144The Committee recommends that gender equality be included as a key priority of the new National Carer Strategy, to be addressed by actions that:

overcome harmful gender norms that devalue caring roles and disadvantage women

encourage more men to become carers and improve access to the types of supports men need

address the financial disadvantages carers experience over their lifetime.

3.148The Committee recommends that the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) review Australian Public Service employment principles and workplace polices and practices for compliance with a revised Act and provide best practice guidance and examples. The APSC should commence the review one year after a revised Act has been established.

3.150The Committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce an income tax credit for carers returning to the paid workforce and consider other options to incentivise and recognise the impact of caring through the income tax and superannuation systems.

3.152The Committee recommends that an ongoing community education campaign form part of the new National Carer Strategy. The campaign should:

promote recognition and awareness of carers' rights and the diversity of carers

address harmful gender stereotypes and reduce stigma associated with caring roles

drive positive workplace cultures for carers

aim to inform the public, and the services and industries that carers rely on, about carers’ needs and how to better support them

include targeted information and strategies appropriate for First Nations and CALD communities.