The contract with consultancy firms to review the safety of aged care homes is referred to as a “third-party supplier program” because the federal government outsourced the audits to external consultants instead of using its own staff.

Some critics have argued that this program should be abandoned because it poses a significant risk for the quality and safety of aged care homes, as the consultants may not meet the standards required by the government.

For example, a former senior public servant, David Tune, who conducted an independent review of the commission’s capability in July, said: “I consider this is a core function of the commission and that the high proportion of assessments undertaken by third-party provider assessors represents a significant risk for the commission”.

Tune also recommended that the commission should increase its own workforce and reduce its reliance on third-party suppliers.