The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing and Aged Care Council (NATSIAACC) is calling on the Australian Government to immediately pause the transition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and Older People to the new Aged Care Act on 1 November 2025, stating that the reforms are not culturally safe or appropriate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and Older People.

NATSIAACC’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Cassara Hardie, said that the Act is grounded in a Western, mainstream framework that does not reflect the values, priorities, or lived realities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

“Our Elders and Older People do not belong in a system that ignores their cultural identity, their connection to Country and/or Island Home, and their roles as knowledge holders and community leaders,” Ms Hardie said.

“The Aged Care Act was developed without proper consultation, and without recognising that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and Older People have unique needs that cannot be met by a one-size-fits-all approach.”

NATSIAACC warns that without meaningful co-design and legislative protections, the new system will leave Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and Older People at risk of being placed into care environments that are culturally unsafe, alienating, and potentially harmful.

NATSIAACC is urging the Government to:
• Halt the transition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and Older People to the Aged Care Act;
• Commit to genuine co-design with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and peoples;
• Ensure NATSIAACC’s Cultural Safety in Aged Care definition is embedded in legislation – not in the Explanatory Memorandum;
• Develop a distinct, culturally safe aged care pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and Older People.

“Caring for our Elders and Older People is not just a service – it is a sacred cultural responsibility,” Ms Hardie says. “We need aged care systems that are created with us, by us, and for us. Until that happens, the transition must stop.”

NATSIAACC is willing to work in partnership with the Government to co-design aged care systems that respect self-determination, cultural safety, and the lived experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Media Enquiries:
For media enquiries, please contact info@natsiaacc.org.au.

About NATSIAACC:
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing and Aged Care Council (NATSIAACC) is the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing and Aged Care. NATSIAACC works to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and Older People can access support and care that is culturally safe, trauma-aware and healing informed, and recognises the importance of their personal connections to Community, Country and/or Island Home.