Submission
Submissions to the new Aged Care Act Exposure Draft call for stronger carer inclusiveness

14 March 2024 – 3.64 MB

The draft new Aged Care Act is a bitter disappointment to Carers Australia and to other consumer organisations operating in the aged care space. It does not include any of the recommendations the Aged Care Royal Commission with respect to carers right receive timely and tailored supports which address their own needs and enhance their capacity to provide care, both in their own interests and in the interests of those they care for.
Submission
Response to the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care – Consultation on the Exposure to Draft of the New Aged Care Act

29 February 2024 – 262.06 KB

Carers Australia welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Exposure Draft of the New Aged Care Act.
Submission
Response to Department of Social Services Issues Paper: A stronger, more diverse and independent community sector

17 November 2023 – 164.65 KB

Carers Australia welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Australian Government Department of Social Services Issues Paper: A stronger, more diverse and independent community sector. Carers Australia consider the current reviews into the not-for-profit and community sector vital to improving the outcomes and experiences of Australian communities, as well as the sustainability of the sector moving forward. Overall, Carers Australia is broadly supportive of all five focus areas identified by the Department and explored within the Issues Paper. Within this response we will address each focus area, considering our experiences as a Community Sector Organisation (CSO) and national peak body.
Submission
Response to National Autism Strategy

2 November 2023 – 185.15 KB

Carers Australia supports the Australian Government's decision to develop a person and family-centred National Autism Strategy that addresses whole-of-life needs for autistic people. In response to the Strategy, we have made five recommendations to ensure carers are considered.
Submission
Response to Senate Community Affairs Committee Inquiry into Disability Services and Inclusion Bill 2023

5 October 2023 – 175.5 KB

Carers Australia welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs Inquiry into the Disability Services and Inclusion Bill 2023 [Provisions] and Disability Services and Inclusion (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2023 (the Bill). Carers Australia supports the introduction of this Bill to replace the Disability Services Act 1986 and will use this submission to speak to the areas of the Bill that have direct relevance to Australian carers of people living with disability. 
Submission
Supplementary Evidence for Inquiry into the recognition of unpaid carers

25 September 2023 – 188.45 KB

Further to evidence provided to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, Carers Australia submits this supplement to the information previously provided.
Submission
Second submission – Recognition Matters

15 September 2023 – 659.72 KB

Recognition Matters: Strengthening the Carer Recognition Act and carer representation within Government This is the second submission Carers Australia has provided to assist with the Committee’s work. The first response outlined key information about Australia’s carers, information on Carers Recognition Acts across Australia, and examined the extent to which the introduction of the Federal Carer Recognition Act 2010 is reflected in other legislation directly affecting carers. This submission assesses more deeply the effectiveness of the national Carer Recognition Act and its Statement for Australia’s Carers. Much of this response will focus on identifying the necessary changes needed to the Act to enable better carer recognition outcomes.
Submission
Carers Australia Issues Brief – Inquiry into the recognition of unpaid carers

13 September 2023 – 1.73 MB

This Issues Brief has been developed to inform the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs (Committee) for the Inquiry into the recognition of unpaid carers (Inquiry) adopted on 13 June 2023, following a referral from the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Amanda Rishworth MP. This Brief outline key information on Australia’s carers, information on the Carers Recognition Acts across Australia and, in particular, the national Carer Recognition Act, and the extent to which the introduction of that Act is reflected in other legislation which directly affects carers.
Submission
Response to the Department of Health and Age Care Consultation on New Aged Care Act: the Foundations (Consultation 1)

6 September 2023 – 520.52 KB

While we have a strong understanding and focus on the impact of a new Aged Care Act (the ‘Act’) on older people receiving aged care services, this submission is specifically focused on the inclusion and rights of carers under the Act.
Submission
Response to Australian Government Department of Social Services Consultation: Disability Services and Inclusion Bill 2023

14 August 2023 – 205.89 KB

In this response, Carers Australia highlights several opportunities for the new Act to accurately recognise and incorporate carers within the context of the Statement for Australia’s Carers under the Carers Recognition Act 2010.
Submission
Response to Australian Government Department of Education Review to Inform a Better and Fairer Education System

10 August 2023 – 185.85 KB

Our response aims to provide the Review Panel with a deeper understanding of the perspectives of Australia’s 2.65 million unpaid carers and the education system. As such, this response primarily covers the questions raised in Chapter 2: Improving student outcomes, and Chapter 3: Improving student mental health and wellbeing, of the Consultation Paper.
Submission
Response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights: Inquiry into Australia’s Human Rights Framework

6 July 2023 – 336.24 KB

Carers Australia's submission to the Australian Government Joint Committee on Human Rights: Inquiry into the Australian Human Rights Framework raised that carer’s rights are not well reflected in the United Nations treaties which are the basis for much of the Framework.