# 2026 Stakeholder Profile — Aged Care Association (ACA)

## Organisation Details

- **Official Name:** Aged Care Association (ACA)
- **Official URL:** [aca.org.nz](https://www.aca.org.nz)
- **Type:** Industry Association
- **Who They Represent:** Providers of aged residential care (ARC) in New Zealand. The ACA's membership includes the majority of rest homes, dementia units, and hospital-level care facilities, covering both for-profit and not-for-profit providers.

## Background

The ACA is the peak industry body representing aged residential care providers in New Zealand. It advocates for the sector on funding, workforce, regulation, and quality issues. The ACA is the primary voice of ARC providers in negotiations with government on subsidy rates, regulatory settings, and policy reform. It represents a sector under significant financial pressure, with many providers reporting that government subsidy rates do not cover the cost of care.

## Policy Positions

- **ARC Funding:** The ACA's defining issue. Advocacy for increased government subsidy rates (RCS rates) to cover the true cost of care. Argues that chronic underfunding is unsustainable and affecting quality of care and workforce pay.
- **Workforce:** Advocates for an aged care workforce strategy including better pay for caregivers and nurses, improved training, and immigration settings that allow recruitment of overseas workers.
- **Regulation:** Supports effective regulation but argues for proportionate compliance costs. Resistant to minimum staffing ratios without government funding to cover costs.
- **Pay Equity:** Supports pay equity for aged care workers but insists government must fund wage increases (not pass costs to providers).
- **RCS Asset Thresholds:** Supports increased asset thresholds for RCS eligibility (more people qualify fully subsidised).
- **Home Care vs Residential Care:** Advocates for a balanced approach — appropriate funding for both home support and residential care, recognising that some people need residential care.
- **Quality Improvement:** Engages with HQSC on quality indicators and supports quality improvement initiatives.

## Relevant Submissions (in KB)

| Document                                                    | KB Location                 |
| ----------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------- |
| ACA — Annual Report                                         | `02_Aged_Residential_Care/` |
| ACA — Future-Focussed Approaches Rest-Home Providers (2024) | `02_Aged_Residential_Care/` |

## Relevant Reports (in KB)

- ACA Annual Report provides sector financial data
- Future-Focussed Approaches report outlines sector strategic thinking

## Public Campaigns

- **"Fair Funding for Aged Care"** — ongoing campaign for increased government subsidy rates
- **Workforce Campaign:** Advocacy for aged care workforce strategy and better pay
- **"Valuing Our Elders"** — public awareness campaign about the value of aged care

## Relationship to Government

- **Funder Relationship:** ACA members are contracted by Health NZ — relationship is part funder/provider, part advocacy
- **Constructive but Critical:** The ACA works closely with Health NZ and Ministry of Health but is publicly critical when funding falls short
- **Budget Advocacy:** The ACA makes detailed pre-Budget submissions on aged care funding
- **Ministerial Engagement:** Has regular meetings with the Minister of Health and Associate Minister (aged care)

## Relationship to Existing KB

- The KB contains the ACA Annual Report and the Future-Focussed Approaches report. These provide important data on sector financial health and strategic thinking.
- Additional documents needed: ACA submissions to Health Select Committee, ACA workforce survey data, ACA cost of care modelling.

## Business Implications

- **ARC Providers (members):** The ACA represents the collective voice of providers in funding and policy negotiations
- **Workforce Agencies:** ACA advocacy on immigration settings affects overseas worker recruitment
- **Training Providers:** ACA workforce strategy advocacy shapes demand for aged care qualifications
- **Home Care Providers:** ACA's position on home care vs residential care balance affects the home care market
- **Government:** The ACA's cost of care modelling is used in Budget bids for aged care funding

## Campaign Relevance

- **ARC Funding — Primary Campaign Voice:** The ACA leads the campaign for increased aged care funding. Its cost of care modelling is key evidence.
- **Workforce Campaign:** The ACA is a key voice in the aged care workforce campaign
- **RCS Threshold Campaign:** The ACA supports campaigns to increase RCS asset thresholds
- **Quality Campaign:** The ACA engages on quality improvement but resists mandatory staffing ratios without funding
- **Provider Viability:** Campaign spotlight on providers at risk of closure due to funding shortfalls

## Cross-References

- See also: **[Health NZ](..\08_Government_Agencies_and_Regulators\2026%20Agency%20Profile%20-%20Health%20NZ%20Te%20Whatu%20Ora.md)** (funder and contract holder)
- See also: **[Ministry of Health](..\08_Government_Agencies_and_Regulators\2026%20Agency%20Profile%20-%20Ministry%20of%20Health.md)** (regulator)
- See also: **[E tu Union](2026%20Stakeholder%20Profile%20-%20E%20tu%20Union.md)** (workforce counterpart — union representing ARC workers)
- See also: **[NZNO](2026%20Stakeholder%20Profile%20-%20NZNO%20Nursing%20Union.md)** (nursing workforce)
- See also: `02_Aged_Residential_Care/` directory for all ARC documents
- See also: `11_Issue_Briefs_for_Campaigning/2026 Issue Brief - Aged Residential Care Funding and Political Risk.md`

## Last Updated

June 2026