Advisory council refresh

The federal government has announced new members of the National Aged Care Advisory Council.

Established in 2021 in response to a recommendation by the royal commission, the advisory council provides guidance to government on key matters relating to aged care. This includes providing advice on:

• implementation of the aged care reforms
• improving navigation and delivery of aged care services
• building the capability of providers and workforce to meet changing requirements under the reforms.

The 18 members include:

• people accessing aged care services
• aged care workers
• providers
• health and allied health professionals
• specialists in training and education
• independent experts.   

For the refreshed tenure, nine members return to the council and nine members have been newly appointed. The new members are:

• Annie Butler– federal secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Association
• Carlo Carli – chair of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia
• Jenny Dodd – CEO of TAFE Directors Australia
• Simon Miller – CEO of Anglicare
• Carolyn Smith – aged care director of the United Workers Union
• Patricia Sparrow – chief executive of COTA Australia
• Tom Symondson – CEO of the Aged Care and Community Providers Association
• Cathy Thomas – group executive of aged care and community services for BlueCare
• Lloyd Williams – national secretary of the Health Services Union.

Returning members are:

• Rachel Argaman – CEO of Opal Health Care
• Mike Baird – CEO of HammondCare
• Anne Burgess – chair of the Council of Elders
• Andrea Coote – advisory council chair
• Jody Currie – senior research fellow at University of Melbourne
• Craig Gear – CEO of the Older Persons Advocacy Network
• Sanda Iuliano – senior research fellow at University of Melbourne
• Maree McCabe – CEO of Dementia Australia
• Associate Professor Michael Murray –  president of National Ageing Research Institute.

“The National Aged Care Advisory Council is one of the ways I can be confident I’m hearing from a wide range of sector representatives as we reform aged care, and making changes that are fit for purpose,” said Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells in a statement. “I thank outgoing members for their valuable contributions and look forward to working with new and returning members in 2024.”

In the same statement, returning chair Ms Coote said: “The members of the National Aged Care Advisory Council have wide-ranging expertise and knowledge of the aged care sector. Our refreshed membership will ensure we continue to provide robust advice that reflects the full sector to government.”

Council of Elders

Meanwhile, a second term of the Council of Elders was announced in December. The members are:

Established in 2022, the Council of Elders provides a direct voice to government from older Australians. Members talk to older people from across Australia about changes being made to aged care. The council uses the feedback to give independent advice to government about the lived-experience of the aged care system.

The council reports to:

• Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler
• Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells
• Department of Health and Aged Care.

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