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The new Aged Care Act was due to commence in July 2024. The draft legislation proposes many changes that will improve the lives of older people and those in the aged care industry. Here’s what you need to know. About the new Aged Care Act In response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety , the Australian Government has drafted a new Aged Care Act. The new Act is a rights-based Act, meaning that it puts the rights of older people first. The new Act aims to improve how older people receive care and services in their homes, community and in approved residential aged care homes. Draft and consultation process The draft of the new Aged Care Act was released on 14 December 2023, and was open for public consultation until 8 March 2024. This gave those who will be impacted by the Act (such as older people, their families, caregivers, providers and experts) to give their feedback on the proposed bill. What's changing One of the most important changes is around the

On 1 November 2025, the Australian Government officially launched the Support at Home program. It's the long-awaited refresh to the way in-home aged care is delivered. The new program is designed to improve access to services, equipment and home modifications that help older people stay safe, active and connected to their communities. Support at Home forms part of the new Aged Care Act , which gives older people more control over the care they receive. Services will be tailored to individual needs, preferences and goals, with greater opportunities for participants to make choices. What's new in Support at Home? The program introduces a range of changes to how aged care is delivered. Some key features include: Ongoing services with 8 funding classifications to better cater for a range of participant needs, with the highest now offering around $78,000 per year. Short-term services with 3 short-term classifications: Stronger preventative care, with the Restorative Care Pathway replacing

This article was published based on current information prior to the start of the Support at Home program on 1 November 2025. Rules that apply to Support at Home and information that is shared in this article may be subject to change. For more information on the Support at Home program, visit the official Support at Home website . Older Australians can celebrate today that a new Aged Care Act, as recommended by the Royal Commission, will put them first, “so that their preferences and needs drive the delivery of service.” Mable strongly supports and welcomes the founding principle of the Report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety made public today, that “older people should genuinely be at the centre of their care”.  Mable specifically applauds that the Report, entitled, “ Care, Dignity and Respect” , retains the important option for people to be able to self-determine their Home Care services according to their own individual needs and preferences rather than be

In 2021, the Federal Government delivered a $18.3 billion aged care reform package to provide higher quality and safer care for older Australians. The five-year reform plan is being implemented from 2021-2025 following the final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. The reform plan is based on five pillars, one of which is Home care, aimed at supporting older Australians who choose to remain in their home. Importantly, the reform plan addresses issues around self-management of home care packages.   In this article we outline some of the key initiatives in the aged care reform plan 2021-25 . Support at Home Program In-home aged care currently consists of several programs that have different approaches to assessment, eligibility, service providers, funding and fees. As a result, not everyone receives care commensurate with their needs and funding is not used effectively. In addition, the HCP Program has a history of long wait times, high overhead costs char

As part of Mable’s ongoing commitment to growing small businesses across Australia, we are excited to announce our new Mable Tax Benefits Program in partnership with the award-winning tax and accountancy firm YOUtax. The program will give all independent support workers on Mable access to exclusive benefits, resources and opportunities to make tax time and beyond simple. Key program features include: Discounted Tax Returns and BAS filing Receive exclusive YOUtax discounts of 20% off for tax returns and 40% off for quarterly BAS filling. Having been awarded as Xero’s Innovative Partner of the Year for 2022 and The Australian Accounting Awards winner for Innovator of the Year 2021, YOUtax is here to help small businesses stress less this tax season. YOUtax Webinars Exclusively designed for independent support workers on Mable, the upcoming YOUtax webinars will discuss tax and business obligations in a warm, easy-to-understand environment.  Covering commonly-asked topics, the webinars hos

A spate of new terms are now being used within the NDIS , thanks to legislation that was passed earlier in the year. Although it can be frustrating when this happens, it’s always smart to familiarise oneself with these updates to help make it easier to navigate the NDIS and get the most out of your NDIS plan .  The good news is these terminology changes make a lot of sense, so once you're familiar with them, chances are you’ll be glad they are here to stay.   Why the change? Before we delve into these terminology changes, we’ll just explain why the NDIA has changed them in the first place.  The Australian Parliament has passed amendments to the NDIS legislation in an attempt to improve it and make it more straightforward. The hope is to simplify processes and in doing so, make the language around these easier to understand. What are the new terms? Plan reassessment (previously Plan review) You are probably familiar with the term ‘Plan review’, which is when a plan is reviewed a

This week, Australian of the Year 2022 and disability advocate Dylan Alcott OAM presented NDIS 2.0, A Disability-led Plan for the NDIS , to NDIS Minister Bill Shorten at the Parliament House in Canberra. The report is published by Get Skilled Access (GSA), which was founded by Dylan, and was presented by him and GSA’s CEO Danielle Fraillon. The report makes 10 recommendations that would work to put people with disabilities and their perspectives first in conversations about the future of the NDIS . These are: Not make decisions about us without us. Remember what the NDIS is for. Put Participants-first at the NDIA. Improve the role and performance of Scheme “navigators”. Change the narrative about costs to benefits. De-politicise the Scheme’s institutions and rebuild trust. Improve the availability of supports. Increase the ability of Participants to make choices. Focus on the impact for Participants. Connect Participants with their communities to improve safety. “We want to th

Every year, Good Design Australia , a well-regarded international design promotion organisation, recognises the value of good design and the critical role it plays in creating a better and safer future through the Australian Good Design Awards. The Awards are one of the longest-running international design awards in the world, and have been around since 1958. This year, Mable was proud to receive the Australian Good Design Award for Mable Last Minute in the Digital Design category in recognition for outstanding design and innovation. The Good Design Awards Jury commented, “Mable Last Minute is a sound idea and implication of a remote service to Australian elderly residents and those with disabilities. Great design and execution.” We congratulate the core team of Rob Hudson, Thien Mau and Sophie Tobin who worked on this, on this prestigious win! The story behind Mable Last Minute The COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruptions to support supply, combined with increased demand for sho

On 20th October 2022, a live webinar was hosted by disability advocacy group Every Australian Counts to discuss the NDIS Review. The webinar featured Minister for the NDIS and Hon Bill Shorten MP, co-Chairs Professor Bruce Bonyhady AM and Lisa Paul AO PSM, and independent panel members Kevin Cocks AM, Judy Brewer AO, Dr Stephen King, Dougie Herd and Kirsten Deane OAM.  The NDIS was founded on 1 st July 2013 and whilst a review at the 10-year mark was always intended, it has been brought forward . Minister Shorten was very keen to point out how very important the review is and how it will shape the NDIS moving forward. “I’m excited about the process of change,” he said. “For many people, the development of the scheme has been a positive proposition and experience and at the very least, the fact that so much unmet need has emerged in the last nine years shows the need for this scheme. “There have been too many negative experiences in my opinion. Too much red tape, rapid, unfair