ACSA ACAA to merge!

It’s official: ACSA and ACAA have announced plans to form a single national peak aged care body.

Above: President of ACSA, Klaus Zimmerman

By Yasmin Noone

Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) has announced that it will seek a merger with the peak association representing for-profit  aged care providers, Aged Care Association Australia (ACAA).

The decision reflects the results of a recent ACSA member survey undertaken by McGregor Tan Research to gauge opinion about the future role and stucture of the organisation.

ACSA President Klaus Zimmermann said the ACSA Board has resolved to seek support of its state members for a merged national body. It is proposed that the existing State Associations of ACSA and ACAA become the members of the new national entity. The only thing that could possibly stand in the way of the formation of a single peak body for aged care, he said, is a ‘no’  vote from ACSA members when the question of the proposed merger is put to the organisation at the general meeting in November this year.

But Mr Zimmermann said the organisation had spent the last 18 months collecting feedback and consulting members on the issue and he is extremely confident that the majority of voters will support the  plans for a single peak national body.

“I think the mood for change is there, the timing is right and there’s been a really positive spirit in getting us to this position,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“I think there will be some individual providers with a difference of opinion but the majority has indicated that this is the way forward.

“For me personally, I am absolutely delighted that we have taken a positive step to a stronger industry position. I am absolutely delighted.”

The question of ‘will the peak bodies merge or won’t they’ has provided ongoing debate throughout the industry for over 10 years but it picked up more force in the last four.

“What’s different, this time around, is that we have a truly national aged care system…a truly national industrial system and allied health regulation is truly national.

“…The government’s commitment to reform the aged care system and the Productivity Commission (PC) inquiry [also] provided an unprecedented impetus to resolve the issue once and for all.

“That’s what’s different. We are at a juncture where all of those [factors] are aligning and all of those things have never happened before.”

With a national peak body, Mr Zimmerman said, comes more resources, funding, staff skills and greater information sharing.

“The industry has grown dramatically and will continue to grow dramatically for the next 40 years. By having one single national peak body, it will be easier to represent more providers and channel all of the energy towards the reform process.”

In the past 12 months ACSA has investigated a range of options for restructure and consulted members widely.

“Maintaining a federation of states with a merged national peak emerged as the preferred option following [the] member survey undertaken by McGregor Tan Research.

“ACSA will also build on its strong links with ACAA to pursue the goal of a single voice for aged care.”

A taskforce of three ACSA Board members will oversee the transition process to a new organisation.

“We are on the verge of a new era of aged care and we are confident a united peak body will help drive the reforms.”

ACSA will soon run a series of information sessions around the country so that members can learn more details about the merger and make an informed vote when the time comes.  

[Editor: There will be more reporting on this topic in the coming days and weeks.]

Tags: acaa, acsa, aged, care, klaus-zimmerman, mcgregor-tan, merger,

5 thoughts on “ACSA ACAA to merge!

  1. Overdue and necessary if we are to be a creditable voice when dealing with government/s and otherstakeholders in the Aged Care arena.

  2. Congratulations to those who have had carriage of this evolution and have brought it to its inevitable conclusion. A strong single industry voice aligned with the counsel and involvement of the members of the National Aged Care Alliance is a potentially powerful combination as we undertake the reform process over coming years. It is critically important to the industry as a whole but also those who we serve, that ideology is not allowed to compromise our ability to come together around policy and practice.

  3. Congratulations ACSA. AGMs permitting, this could be a step along the ‘journey’ that started in February 2010, to a really efficient, integrated national model that would genuinely deliver more resources focussed on national issues – ie almost all of the issues facing aged care. In itself, in terms of Klaus’s ‘more resources, funding (?) staff skills…’ etc it would seem to add only the two staff (both excellent, but one retiring) from ACAA’s national office to the 10 in ACSA’s – not exactly game-changing but perhaps a step forward. It will still leave 11 provider voices in aged care (not counting the churches or individual providers) so there is still some distance to travel to get to a truly effective set of arrangements. This move might create the momentum required though for subsequent reforms, including to outmoded governance arrangements, that would bring real gains. I genuinely wish you all well with it.

    PS. Will the results of the survey be released to all your members so that they can see the collective views of their peers? This could be useful in building trust in the change process

  4. A message well recieved by our organisation.The spirit here and its intentions need to be clearly explained to all members of each peack body so that confusion is kept to a minimum. I hope that the transition goes well and Frontline will be a supportive voice for collaboration as we strenghten the national voice and representation for positive and proactive change. This is a good leadership platform and I urge all my colleagues to find there role in the move forward..Great work!

  5. On behalf of UK friends of ACSA and ACAA may I offer warm congratulations from the UK National Care Forum on this important step forward for the Australian peak bodies. As in many ways that I have seen from my own observations and visits the UK has much to learn from the way the Aged Care sector operates in Australia and this collaboration and partnership in provider representation sends a strong message to other countries. As Chairman of the NCF I look forward to participating in the ACAA conference at the Gold Coast in November and it is good to know that I shall be among friends! I am also greatly looking forward to my forthcoming transition to Adelaide as CEO of Southern Cross Care (SA&NT) and to getting immersed in the issues and opportunities facing the sector. Best wishes for the merger from the UK!

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