Greens Call on Labor to scrap broken aged care assessment tool following damning Four Corners report

Greens Call on Labor to scrap broken aged care assessment tool following damning Four Corners report | Australian Greens Skip to main content Search Get Involved Join Donate Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Get Involved Join Donate Search Our plan Toggle Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Toggle Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Toggle Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement Toggle About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Greens Call on Labor to scrap broken aged care assessment tool following damning Four Corners report 2026-08-17 The Australian Greens have demanded that Labor go back to the drawing board on aged care assessments after a damning Four Corners investigation revealed that the government’s new assessment tool had been designed to under-assess need and priority.

The controversial Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT), which uses an algorithm to automate decision-making, has repeatedly been shown to provide assessments that have left thousands of people without an appropriate level of funding for their care needs. Last month Labor suffered a humiliating parliamentary defeat when the Senate passed a bill co-sponsored by the Greens to restore human override to the IAT.

Now, a Four Corners investigation has revealed the test has been designed in a way that systemically under-assesses older people with mental health conditions, cognition issues and frailty. Most of the questions asked in the test are not even considered in the outcome. This tool was not live tested, and the department has been unable to name any clinical experts that validated it.

Comments Attributable to Senator Penny Allman-Payne, Greens Spokesperson for Older People: “The Four Corners investigation is yet another damning indictment of Labor’s reckless aged care reforms. “Labor’s aged care assessment tool is broken, and the problems go beyond a simple fix. The IAT needs to be scrapped.

“This is the same tool that has denied essential funding to older Australians with lifelong degenerative conditions like MND and dementia. “This tool was untested, fatally flawed and implemented with the absolute minimum accountability – all in the name of cutting costs. “Labor must replace the IAT with a new assessment tool that centres the human rights and care needs of older people.

“Instead of penny-pinching from older people and withholding essential care, Labor could choose to properly fund aged care by taxing gas corporations and making billionaires and the 1% pay their fair share.” Facebook for the Australian Greens YouTube for the Australian Greens X for the Australian Greens Instagram for the Australian Greens Bluesky for the Australian Greens Privacy Members website Your safety Contact us Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action In your language 2025 policy platform Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Federal portfolios Federal media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Upcoming events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Green Magazine All news Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Members website State/territory parties Contact us The Greens acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.

We acknowledge that these lands were stolen and sovereignty was never ceded. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. The Australian Greens Authorised by Gemmia Burden & Caroline Atkinson, The Greens, 1 Anthony Rolfe Avenue, Gungahlin, 2912 Site & copyright information Privacy Your Safety View this site in High Contrast mode We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience.

Find out more about how we use cookies and how you can avoid trackers online. Learn more No, thanks OK