GOVERNMENT TOOLS

In 2026, Australia’s Aged Care system enters a new era. Demand is surging as the population ages, while workforce constraints are emerging as a major barrier to new and expanded services. At the same time, the new Aged Care Act is lifting the bar for culturally appropriate care that reflects the needs of each community.

What is your plan to meet this new, higher bar? This report is your how-to guide, with new data on ageing patterns and a practical framework to help you:

• forecast aged care demand at a local community level
• pinpoint high-growth catchments and emerging service gaps
• test workforce availability as an investment or feasibility risk, and
• plan and deliver culturally appropriate care for diverse communities.

Complete the form to pre-register for this report.
We’ll email you a copy when the report is released on Monday February 9th 2026

Preview the report

What's inside

A practical blueprint for place-based planning, including up-to-date data on the demographic factors shaping aged care demand in 2026.

Two waves of ageing

Australia is ageing in two distinct waves, with rapid growth in the 80+ population (where care needs rise fastest) accelerating from around 2026.

A demand surge at national scale

By 2045, Australia will have 2.5 million more people aged 65+, including 1.3 million more aged 80+.

How regional data can be misleading

Ageing isn’t evenly distributed. The share of the population aged 65+ ranges from 18% to 26% across states and territories. Locally, it's even more varied.

Workforce is now the investment test

Forecast demand alone is no longer enough to justify a location or service model. In many high-growth areas, workforce constraints are the factor that determines whether an investment stacks up and stays sustainable.

Service design must match the community

The new Aged Care Act sets a higher bar for culturally appropriate care. This matters because 36% of Australians aged 80+ were born overseas, and aged care uptake varies sharply by background.