Government Responds to First Nations Aged Care Report with New Commissioner Plan
02 Jul 2026
Released on 1 July 2026, the Government’s response accompanies the introduction of the Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Commissioner and Other Measures) Bill 2026 to Parliament.
The proposed legislation would establish Australia’s first permanent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Commissioner, creating a dedicated role to help strengthen aged care services and ensure they better meet the needs of First Nations communities.
The Government said the new Commissioner would play an important role in supporting culturally appropriate aged care and guiding improvements across the sector.
The response follows the 2025 report, Transforming Aged Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, which examined opportunities to improve aged care services and outcomes for First Nations Australians.
Government Responds to First Nations Aged Care Report with New Commissioner Plan
Source: Australian Government – Department of Health, Disability and Ageing