The Aged Care Act 2024, explained
The Aged Care Act 2024 is Australia's new law for aged care. It commenced on 1 November 2025 and replaced the Aged Care Act 1997. The Act puts the rights of older people at the centre of the system and sets out what providers must do to deliver safe, quality care.
Aged Care Act 2024 (Cth)
Aged Care Rules 2025
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, New Aged Care Act
A rights-based system
The Act is built around a Statement of Rights for older people, covering dignity, independence, choice and safety, and the right to be treated with respect. There is also a set of guiding principles for how the whole system should operate. For the first time, the rights of the person receiving care sit at the heart of the legislation, rather than being an add-on.
What the Act covers
The Act sets the rules for who can deliver aged care, how providers are registered and regulated, and the obligations they must meet. It works alongside the Aged Care Rules 2025, which contain much of the operational detail. The Act also underpins the Support at Home program and gives legal backing to the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards.
Why it changed
The new Act responds to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which found the previous system was not delivering the care older Australians deserve. It aims to lift standards, strengthen regulation and make providers more accountable for the care they provide.
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