Explanatory Memorandum
(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care and the Minister for Indigenous Health, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP)OUTLINE
The purpose of the Aged Care Quality and Safety (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2018 (the Bill) is to deal with consequential and transitional matters that arise from the enactment of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018.
This Bill will repeal the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency Act 2013 and the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency (Transitional Provisions) Act 2013. In addition it will make consequential amendments to the Aged Care Act 1997 and Associated Principles to replace references to:
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- the CEO of the Aged Care Quality Agency;
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- the Aged Care Quality Agency; and
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- the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner;
with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner.
Most importantly this Bill provides for the administrative matters required to transfer the functions and operations of the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency and Aged Care Complaints Commissioner into the new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. Importantly, this Bill provides for the continuation of the appointments of the members of the existing Aged Care Quality Advisory Council, as members of the new Aged Care Quality and Safety Advisory Council. This will enable the new Advisory Council to commence operations immediately, and will provide stability and experience in the advice being provided to the Commissioner and to the Government.
Financial Impact Statement
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2018 (the Bill) is a companion Bill to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018. This Bill is necessary to give effect to the Government's reforms to the regulation of aged care.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will be partially budget funded and partially funded through the Commission charging fees for services. This is consistent with the current funding arrangements for the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency. Accordingly this Bill will have no financial impact.