Question Time AU

Bill Debate · Second Reading

Aged Care Amendment (Restoring Human Override for Aged Care Needs Assessments) Bill 2026; Second Reading

Senate · Tuesday 23 June 2026

Official Hansard for this day (APH) · Read this debate on OpenAustralia

At a glance

The debate concerned legislation to restore human override capabilities in aged care needs assessments, specifically regarding the Integrated Assessment Tool. Senator Askew argued that the current system prioritises algorithmic outcomes over clinical judgment, leading to under-assessment of care needs. She cited increased review requests and warnings from medical bodies as evidence of systemic failure. The debate was adjourned after the second reading speech was delivered.

Outcome

The debate was adjourned after leave was granted for the senator to continue remarks later.

Summary in reported speech - not a transcript. AI-generated, so check the official record before quoting.

How the debate unfolded

Opened the debate

Wendy Askew (TAS) (Liberal Party) Liberal

Senator Askew supported the bill, arguing it restores the authority of qualified professionals to make clinical judgments without being overruled by algorithms. Askew contended that the Integrated Assessment Tool introduced under the Aged Care Act 2024 has failed to deliver consistency and instead created a system where automated decisions supersede human expertise. Askew highlighted a significant increase in assessment review requests following the tool's implementation, citing figures of 170 reviews in the year prior versus 834 in five months after. Askew referenced concerns from the Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine regarding clinical safety risks, including failures to account for frailty and cognitive decline. The senator argued that the removal of human override was a deliberate design choice that undermines transparency and accountability in aged care decisions.