Passage of Legislation

The 3 pieces of legislation necessary for implementation of the residential aged care reforms passed through Parliament on 27 June 1997 and have received Royal Assent. The Acts involved are listed below.

• The Aged Care Act 1997 which contains the main body of the reforms including provision for income testing of aged care fees and provision for facilities to charge accommodation bonds within certain parameters.
• The Aged Care (Consequential Provisions) Act 1997 which amends other legislation including the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 and Social Security Act 1991. These Acts are amended to incorporate new terminology, provide for the cancellation of rent assistance (residential care allowance) and specify the income testing of daily fees and assets test treatment of accommodation bonds.
• the Aged Care Income Testing Act 1997, which provides authority for Centrelink to collect income data for non-pensioners, otherwise known as self-funded retirees, before 1 October 1997. This act was repealed from 1 October 1997. Income Testing provisions from that date are contained in the Aged Care Act 1997.