Productivity Commission appoints associate commissioner to inquiry
The Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot, announced the appointment of Sue Macri AM as the associate commissioner to the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into aged care.
The Productivity Commission has appointed aged care advocate and former executive director of Aged Care Association Australia (NSW), Sue Macri, as the associate commissioner to the long-awaited sector inquiry.
The Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot, announced the appointment earlier this morning to an audience of aged care professionals at the Aged Care Association Australia (ACAA) NSW Congress.
Ms Macri has represented the aged care sector at both the state and national level and has more than 30 years experience in the private health sector, including previous director of nursing and CEO posts.
“I am pleased that we have someone of the calibre of Sue involved in this important inquiry,” said Minister Elliot.
“Sue brings a wealth of experience and will be an asset as the Commission sets about the task of developing detailed recommendations for structural reform of the aged care system.”
Ms Macri will assist the Commission in its inquiry to develop options for further structural reform of the aged care system.
“Obviously, I am honoured to have this opportunity to have input into the longer term framework of the aged care industry,” said Ms Macri.
“I am excited and it’s going be a lot of hard work. I am pretty passionate about the aged care industry. For me to be able to provide input in at this level is a wonderful career opportunity.”
This Monday Ms Macri will travel to Canberra to meet her future colleagues. She looks “forward to making a meaningful contribution to the process, just like all of those who will also be involved.
Chief Executive of Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA), Greg Mundy, said he was pleased that the Commission chose someone with such a strong background in residential aged care.
“I think she will give a depth of understanding of particularly of residential aged care from a variety of standpoints,” Mr Mundy said.
“Her background is as a professional nurse- so she will brings that perspective with her, which is an important one”.
“It’s a good thing to have someone with that depth of industry knowledge and experience of aged care and the health system on board.”
“There is scope for significant change in aged care…We would love to get a recipe for a 21st century sector.”
Ms Macri has been involved in aged care Ministerial working parties, committees and reviews including the Macri Panel on Nursing Home Documentation and Accountability Report, the National Review of Nursing Education and the National Nursing and Nursing Education Taskforce.
The inquiry will look at a broad range of issues, including the social, clinical and institutional aspects of aged care in Australia; the interests of special needs groups; regulatory and funding options for residential and community aged care (including the Home and Community Care program); and the future workforce requirements of the aged care sector.
