The Federal Government has until December 1 to respond to a damming report into Australia's aged care failings, which has called for urgent action to prevent more tragedies.
The aged care royal commission has found in a special report on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic "deplorable" shortcomings in infection control and a "traumatised" workforce.
Across Australia 665 elderly Australians lost their lives to COVID-19, many of them in nursing homes.
The report found the government's actions were "insufficient" to ensure the aged care sector was fully prepared for the pandemic.
It has made six recommendations, which the government has accepted.
Of the six recommendations, the report calls for funding for more staff so families can visit loved ones, and infection control officers in each facility.
The peak body into aged care welcomed the report saying it contained "a good set of recommendations for the short term" and called for the bag eggs to go.
But it's looking to Tuesday's budget to provide money for in-home services, which would alleviate some of the strain on aged care facilities.
"So that people can stay at home where they want to be, where they are often safer, where they prefer to be, and we have got waiting lists of up to 18 months," Ian Yates from Council on the Ageing told Today.
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"That needs to happen on Tuesday's budget, but next year's budget we are talking many billions of dollars to bring this aged care system up to scratch, and to change the regulations in aged care, because this report doesn't deal with that.
"That allowed poor providers to continue to operate. It is time we reward and support the good providers and get the poor ones out of the industry."
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Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says the budget will reflect the changes needed, both on Tuesday and in February.
"There is a lot more work to be done and you will see that," Mr Dutton told Today.
"In next year's budget there is a big change coming in aged care.
"Since COVID started we put $1.6 billion in. But it is not about money, it is about cultural change.
"There are a vast majority of good operators but we need to apply pressure to those not suitable in the industry to exit and provide additional support for those delivering a good service."
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