1 November not the end, Symondson reminds providers

There will be challenges during the transition but aged care providers should recognise how much they have achieved in the last year, says Ageing Australia chief executive officer Tom Symondson following this month’s national aged care conference.

The Ageing Australia National Conference 2025 drew over 2,300 to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre for three days of presentations, discussions, and networking. The after-hours schedule was just as busy with on-site receptions, a gala dinner and numerous morning and evening side events to keep delegates informed and connected.

“It’s been a fantastic three days,” Mr Symondson tells Australian Ageing Agenda at the event. “People have been so engaged,” he says.

Among his key takeaways is the positive and solutions-focused atmosphere despite the proximity to 1 November.

“Instead of panicking or spending all of their time worrying about the future, this conference has given an opportunity for people to really engage with solutions, to check-in with colleagues about whether they’re on the right lines,” Mr Symondson says in the video interview below.

“And it feels like people have taken it as a really positive opportunity to put the final touches to being as ready as they possibly can be for 1 November.”

He says highlights from the week include the minister’s announcement of an accommodation review for supported residents and Department of Health, Disability and Ageing deputy secretary Sonja Stewart’s confirmation that the department and Services Australia systems are now ready.

He says he’s proud of providers, who “have pulled out every stop to make sure that they will also be ready” but warns there will be challenges ahead.

“Does that mean 1 November’s perfect? No. If we expect that, we are setting ourselves up to be disappointed.”

There will be challenges around contributions, technical readiness, home care agreements and more, he predicts.

“All of those things that don’t go away. But the fact that we’re approaching it the way we are, I think, is a real testament to the resilience of this sector and their focus on older people,” says Mr Symondson.

Advice for 1 November and beyond

Providers should keep track of unintended consequences and “make sure we’re really hot on collecting those case studies and that evidence” where it happens, Mr Symondson advises.

“Don’t think 1 November will be the end because to an extent, it’s the end of the beginning, rather than the end, and make sure that you keep your focus,” he tells AAA.

“We also need to make sure with things such as contributions if we start to see the impact people are afraid of – of people not seeking out showers, people not seeking out care – that we collect that evidence.

“Because if that’s what starts to happen, then the policy needs to change. But until we see whether that’s going to happen, we don’t actually know.”

What’s next for Ageing Australia?

Once 1 November passes, providers will still have to focus on the transition for months afterwards, but that focus should reduce over time, says Mr Symondson.

But the peak body has its sights on much more than next year.

He wants to grasp the opportunity as a sector – with partners, older people’s advocates, unions, government, and others – to define a pathway to make ageing better.

“We want to spend 2026 looking at is this roadmap post royal commission that we have called the Continuum of Ageing, where we bring together all of the services within our membership – residential care, home-based care, critically, retirement living and seniors housing – as part of the whole conversation around services for older people.

“We’re not calling it a continuum of care because accommodation is not care. Housing is not care. Care is a part of it,” he tells AAA.

Comment on the story below. Follow Australian Ageing Agenda on LinkedIn and Facebook, sign up to our twice-weekly newsletter and subscribe to AAA magazine for the complete aged care picture.