✦ Plain-English Summary

Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Emergency Leave) 2020

What it does

This law allows aged care residents to take emergency leave from residential care facilities without losing their place or funding during genuine crises. It gives the Minister power to declare an "emergency situation" on specific days, which then lets residents temporarily leave without the usual rules applying.

Why it matters

Without this, aged care residents might lose their spot or funding if they needed to leave during a crisis (like a natural disaster or pandemic). This protects vulnerable people's access to care when circumstances beyond their control force them away.

Key details

• Emergency declarations: The Health Minister can officially declare an emergency exists for a specific day, affecting one aged care home or a whole class of them
• How it works: On declared emergency days, residents can be absent from the facility without it counting against their normal leave entitlements or triggering funding loss
• Came into force immediately: The law took effect as soon as it received Royal Assent (no waiting period)

Official Description

Amends the Aged Care Act 1997 and Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 to: introduce an emergency leave type that will enable approved providers to remain eligible for residential care subsidy in declared emergency situations; and ensure that approved providers cannot charge aged care residents a fee during a declared emergency to reserve their place in an aged care service.

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

No votes yet.

No votes were recorded for this bill.