ACSA president appointed for another year

The president says he is excited to be continuing his role at a “pivotal” time for the industry.

Klaus Zimmerman has been reappointed ACSA president.

Klaus Zimmerman says he is excited after being reappointed president of Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) at a “pivotal” time for the industry.

The CEO of South Australian provider, Eldercare, has been appointed for a fourth year as president of the national association.

Mr Zimmerman said the biggest item on ACSA’s agenda in the coming months was working with the government as it responds to the Productivity Commission’s aged care inquiry.

“We really do need to drive some short term change to allow additional funding resources and capital as an interim measure while the medium to longer term measures are implemented and transitioned,” he said.

“We do need some short term relief and that’s what we will be lobbying for.”

Mr Zimmerman said he was encouraged by Mark Butler, the new Minister for Mental Health and Ageing and he looks forward to working with him further as the Productivity Commission process progresses.

Echoing Mr Butler’s address to the industry at last week’s Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) National Conference, Mr Zimmerman highlighted the need for collaboration with other aged care stakeholders.

“We need to discuss these issues with consumers, unions and other stakeholders like the church bodies, to make sure that we maintain a unified voice in driving the reform agenda,” he said.

Reflecting on his three years as ACSA president, Mr Zimmerman said the industry had made significant progress in this area.

“We have been able to get a common ground between the various stakeholder groups – consumers, unions and the church bodies,” he said.

“In our message to the government, we have all been fairly unified in what we have been able to say.

“The role out of [ACSA’s] ‘Can’t do it without you’ image campaign to portray the industry in a more positive light was really good as well.”

Mr Zimmmerman is also a board director of the International Association of Homes and Services for the Ageing (IAHSA).

Tags: acsa, iahsa, klaus-zimmerman, mark-butler, productivity-commission,

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