How We Help

Aged Care Justice strives to achieve justice for victims and facilitate change by providing access to legal services, offering educational material on aged care rights and lobbying for sector reform. Our aim is to empower resident victims and their families to seek the legal support they need to understand their rights and pursue them, if they wish.

There is no cost in utilizing our services. Once a person is referred to an aged care lawyer who can provide advice, the initial consultation is also free. Lawyers have agreed to identify the most efficient and economical way to proceed including pro bono for those who qualify.

Who We Are

Aged Care Justice is a not-for-profit group of volunteers incorporated in Victoria pursuant to the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012. It was established in October 2020, by senior legal and medical professionals. Aged Care Justice’s current Chair is Sue Williamson, a partner with Holding Redlich and actively involved in volunteering in the palliative care industry.

Aged Care Justice is also supported by several volunteer law students from the Monash University Law School. They provide secretariat and research assistance.
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The Honourable Tony Pagone KC

Co-Patron

The Honourable Tony Pagone KC, a Co-Patron of Aged Care Justice, a former Federal Court Judge and Chair of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

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Dr Bryan Keon-Cohen AM KC

Co-Patron

Dr Bryan Keon-Cohen AM KC, now retired, practised at the Victorian Bar for 35 years, focusing on the protection of human rights, including native title claims.

Our Purpose

Aged Care Justice’s main purposes are to promote law reform in the Aged Care sector and to assist aggrieved persons seeking legal redress due to financial, emotional or physical damage suffered in aged-care facilities.

Aged Care Justice does not provide legal advice or representation. It seeks to assist aged-care residents and/or their families by referring them, should they wish, to pro-bono legal firms for advice and, if considered appropriate, representation in legal proceedings. Aged Care Justice’s full statement of purposes, drawn from its Constitution as incorporated, is available on this website here.
Activities:

Aged Care Justice is networking with allied groups and aged-care workers, and is developing contacts with lawyers and legal firms willing to accept potential clients, initially on a pro-bono basis and, if so instructed, to act for them thereafter.

Why Aged Care Justice

Aged Care Justice exists to stop the aged care crisis identified by the Royal Commission into Aged Care

Our inquiry has shown unacceptable levels of substandard care in Australia’s aged care system.

The breadth of the evidence and the consistency of people’s experiences suggest that high quality aged care is not being delivered consistently in our aged care system, particularly in residential aged care. Looking at people’s experience of substandard care and the available data about quality, people in aged care cannot be confident that they will receive the care that they need, whether it be in relation to their health, social, cultural or emotional needs, or that they will avoid experiencing restrictive practices or abuse.

The extent of substandard care in Australia’s aged care system is inexcusable. On the best evidence available, Commissioner Briggs concludes that at least 1 in 3 people accessing residential aged care and home care services have experienced substandard care.

In overhauling the aged care system, the voices of people receiving care must be a priority to ensure that the system remains relevant and appropriate for the people it is intended to support.

Publications and News

Articles

Human Rights and Aged Care
March 17, 2023

In reconceptualising Australia’s obligations to its older people, seeing them not as vulnerable but as active right holders, the human rights approach has the ability to improve the standard of care delivered by aged care providers.

Case Studies

Negligent Care Within Aged Care Facilities All Too Common
October 13, 2021

We acted for the daughter and granddaughter of a man (Mr W) who died as a result of the negligent care he received at an aged cared facility in Parramatta, New South Wales.

Aged Care Justice News

ALARMing trend in aged care abuse to be tackled by Aged Care Justice
August 9, 2022

For nearly 2 years ALARM has been focused on reducing the abuse and neglect exposed by the Royal Commission into Aged Care (Royal Commission) by ensuring aged care residents have a means to access legal support.

Have You or a Family Member Suffered?

We can help

By sending us your details and information about the experience of you or your family member, we can connect you with an appropriate legal firm to seek justice.