Inaugural ambassador for ageing

Logie award-winning actress Noeline Brown has accepted a new role to promote positive ageing.

The Federal Government has appointed veteran actress Noeline Brown the inaugural Ambassador for Ageing.

The Logie Award winner is well known for her appearances in ‘Blankety Blanks’ and The Naked Vicar Show, and recently appeared in the film ‘Razzle Dazzle’ and the TV series ‘Dancing with the Stars’.

In her new role, Ms Brown will take part in a range of activities and events within the community to promote positive ageing, as well as acting as a spokesperson for older Australians.

Aged Care Association Australia (ACAA) welcomed the announcement, saying it looked forward to working proactively with Ms Brown.

“The appointment fulfilled a long term objective of the Association,” said ACAA CEO Rod Young.

“[It addresses] the need to engage a high profile person to act as the public face of ageing and to be an ambassador for the older citizens in areas such as healthy ageing, retirement incomes, social security benefits, changing the communities attitude towards ageing and aged related issues and long term care services.”

“As Australia ages over the next forty years, with an estimated 26 per cent of all persons
being aged 65 years and older by 2042, it is essential that we support a process for constantly reviewing the place, role and function of our older citizens and how the broader community and the ageing community can best interact with each other and ensure that intergenerational costs and services do not fall disproportionately on one sector of the community as compared with another,” said Mr Young.

Ms Brown, who will turn 70 this October, already gives presentations on healthy ageing to clubs and volunteer groups across the nation.

The scope of the Ambassdor’s role will include:

– Promoting internationally-recognised principles of positive and active ageing;
– Promoting messages about healthy and active ageing within the community; 
– Leading promotional campaigns to ensure older people are valued and respected;
– Giving voice to the continuing contribution of older people;
– Explaining Government programs and initiatives to the public;
– Encouraging older people to plan for the future;
– Representing the Australian Government at conferences, meetings and media engagements; and
– Attending meetings with key Commonwealth, State and local government stakeholders on positive ageing issues.

The Labor Party pledged it would introduce an Ambassador for Ageing in the lead up to last year’s election.

The Ambassador for Ageing will be supported within the Department of Health and Ageing’s Office for an Ageing Australia.

The appointment follows a similar announcement from the Welsh Assembly Government in January this year.

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