Work continues on aged care inquiry scope

The government is in the process of determining the terms of reference for the inquiry, a process Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said could take a few weeks.

Mr Wyatt has encouraged Australians to think about the broader areas the inquiry could cover.

"That is, the quality of care provided to senior Australians and the extent of substandard care, the challenge of providing care to Australians with disabilities living in residential aged care, particularly young people with disabilities," he told parliament on Wednesday.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has written to the prime minister with his wishlist of what he believes should be covered, with the impact of what he claims have been funding cuts by the coalition at the top of the list.

The government has consistently denied it has cut funding, saying instead it has raised it by $1 billion each year.

Mr Shorten says funding isn't part of the proposed terms of reference for the commission but that it is bound to come up.

"Inevitably these are the issues that will be raised by the aged care sector in any case, as these are the issues that are having a direct impact on the capacity of the sector to deliver quality care," he wrote on Wednesday.

Among other issues the opposition wants the commission to cover are challenges in ensuring the sustainability of the aged care system, poor access to services in regional, rural and remote areas and how information on aged care can be more transparent for those cared for and their families should be covered.

Both the coalition and Labor have rebuffed calls for the commission to include all people with disabilities living in institutional and residential care.

Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has made emotional pleas to the major parties, calling on them to support his motion in the upper house to widen the commission's scope for that purpose.

Australian Associated Press