Most Australians support tax levy to improve aged care

The vast majority of Australians aren't confident in the country's aged care system, with more than one-in-10 saying they have no confidence at all, new analysis from The Australian National University (ANU) shows. The findings also show more than eight-in-10 Australians back a tax-based levy to improve aged care. The study of more than 3,200 Australians' attitudes to aged care found less than one-in-three Australians had confidence in the aged care system, compared to 45.4 per cent for the Federal Government in Canberra and 77 per cent for hospitals and the health system. Study co-author Professor Nicholas Biddle said the results come at a time when aged care reform was high on the agenda of politicians and voters. "Our study paints a very timely, and sadly very bleak, picture of the state of aged care according to Australians and our overall faith in a system that has come under close scrutiny in recent years," Professor Biddle said. "We found that across Australia, just 1.8 per cent of people had a 'great deal' of confidence in the aged care system and Around 31.1 per cent of said they had 'quite a lot' of confidence. "In contrast, more than half, 55.2 per cent, said they did not have 'very much confidence' and 12 per cent said they had 'no confidence at all'." "With an increased focus on the aged care workforce, it is very troubling that only five per cent of Australians said they would definitely recommend a young person work in the industry, and only 10.1 per cent saying they would definitely recommend an unemployed person working in the industry." Most Australians would advise against someone considering a career in the industry,  according to Professor Biddle.