▁number ▁of ▁Austral ians ▁need ing ▁help ▁in ▁aged ▁care . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁almost ▁a ▁quarter ▁of ▁a ▁million ▁people ▁( 2 4 9 , 0 0 0 ) ▁were ▁using ▁resident ial ▁care , ▁home ▁care ▁or ▁transition ▁care ▁services — a ▁ 3 1 % ▁increase ▁over ▁the ▁last ▁de cade . ▁ ▁The ▁public ▁aged - care ▁system ▁is ▁already ▁under ▁stra in , ▁with ▁fewer ▁places ▁than ▁there ▁is ▁demand . ▁By ▁ 2 0 6 0 , ▁aged ▁care ▁dem ands ▁are ▁expected ▁to ▁put ▁additional ▁pressure ▁on ▁Australian ▁govern ments ▁equivalent ▁to ▁about ▁ 6 ▁per ▁cent ▁of ▁national ▁G DP . ▁ ▁Since ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁government ▁has ▁been ▁introdu cing ▁re forms ▁that ▁move ▁towards ▁consumer - direct ed ▁aged ▁care ▁- ▁a ▁more ▁market - dri ven ▁environment ▁where ▁the ▁consumer ▁( or ▁their ▁car er ) ▁can ▁choose ▁their ▁service ▁provider . ▁ ▁In ▁response , ▁more ▁private ▁business ▁prov iders ▁are ▁entering ▁the ▁market , ▁in ▁competition ▁with ▁the ▁government - fund ed ▁and ▁not - for - pro fit ▁prov iders ▁that ▁have ▁histor ically ▁domin ated . ▁However , ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁official ▁government ▁channel ▁that ▁regul ates ▁private ▁aged - care ▁prov iders ▁and ▁reports ▁on ▁their ▁quality ▁of ▁services ▁such ▁as ▁staff ing ▁levels ▁and ▁skills ▁and ▁quality ▁of ▁care . ▁▁ ▁The ▁government ▁announced ▁a ▁public ▁inqu iry ▁into ▁mis con duct ▁in ▁the ▁sector ▁in ▁September ▁