Victoria may become the first state to both fund and mandate minimum staff-to-resident ratios in private aged care facilities under a budget proposal by the Andrews Labor Government. 

Premier Daniel Andrews has announced that his Government will provide $40 million to help cover the cost of introducing minimum staff-to-resident ratios in private aged care, provided the Federal Government also comes to the table in their role as the primary regulator and funder of the aged care sector. 

Victoria’s private nursing homes were ravaged by COVID-19, which resulted in hundreds of elderly deaths across the state. 

Premier Andrews said that he “wanted to make sure every family has confidence that older Victorians – our parents and grandparents – are comfortable and cared for. 

“Ratios are vital in our public aged care system, and we want the Commonwealth to join us in making sure they exist in every single facility in Victoria.” 

Victoria was also the first state to mandate staffing ratios in publicly owned nursing homes. Staffing ratios do not currently exist for NSW aged care facilities.  

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