About this inquiry

At the dissolution of the Senate and the House of Representatives on 9 May 2016 for a general election on 2 July 2016, the parliamentary committees of the 44^th Parliament ceased to exist. Therefore inquiries that were not completed have lapsed and submissions cannot be received.  However, information about the inquiries is still available on this website. 

Information on this committee in the 45^th Parliament will be presented here as soon as it is available.    

On 1 December 2015, the Senate referred the following matter to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report:

The future of Australia’s aged care sector workforce.

The terms of reference are:

1. the current composition of the aged care workforce;
2. future aged care workforce requirements, including the impacts of sector growth, changes in how care is delivered, and increasing competition for workers;
3. the interaction of aged care workforce needs with employment by the broader community services sector, including workforce needs in disability, health and other areas, and increased employment as the National Disability Insurance Scheme rolls out;
4. challenges in attracting and retaining aged care workers;
5. factors impacting aged care workers, including remuneration, working environment, staffing ratios, education and training, skills development and career paths;
6. the role and regulation of registered training organisations, including work placements, and the quality and consistency of qualifications awarded;
7. government policies at the state, territory and Commonwealth level which have a significant impact on the aged care workforce;
8. relevant parallels or strategies in an international context;
9. the role of government in providing a coordinated strategic approach for the sector;
10. challenges of creating a culturally competent and inclusive aged care workforce to cater for the different care needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse groups and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people;
11. the particular aged care workforce challenges in regional towns and remote communities;
12. impact of the Government’s cuts to the Aged Care Workforce Fund; and
13. any other related matters. 

Submissions were sought by 4 March 2016.  The reporting date is 30 June 2016.

• Inquiry home page
• Terms of Reference
• Submissions
• Media Releases
• Public Hearings
• Additional Documents
• Community Affairs

Past Public Hearings

28 Apr 2016: Melbourne