Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth has been asked about a government-appointed taskforce’s recommendation that wealthy Australians should draw down their superannuation and pay more for their aged care costs.

The taskforce rejected arguments for a taxpayer levy to fund the country’s growing aged care bill, saying it would be unfair to future generations when older Australians were retiring with growing levels of wealth.

Speaking on Nine’s Today program, Rishworth said the government wanted to develop a sustainable, strong aged-care system that would be fit for purpose.

“What we know is there will be double the number of 65-year-olds and, triple the number of 85-year-olds, and so we need to be able to provide an aged care system that is fit for purpose,” she said.

“We’ve already been doing a lot of work when it comes to putting nurses back into nursing homes, for example, and increasing the pay of our aged care workers.”

She said the government would look at the 23 recommendations the taskforce made in the report.

“There is a challenge in front of us, one, that that will happen over the next few decades that we must address if we’re going to have a sustainable health care system.”

The minister said there would need to be a lot of work needed to fund a sustainable system.

“Our aged care system, whether that’s at home or in an aged care facility, is of high quality, and we’ll look after our older Australians,” Rishworth said. “There is a challenge … we need to tackle this to provide the best possible care.”