Council of Elders welcomes new members
Four new members have joined the aged care advisory body this year.
Professor Ponniah Anandajayasekeram, Associate Professor John Cullen, William (Uncle Benny) Hodges and Russell Westacott have this week been appointed to the Aged Care Council of Elders.
They join existing members Val Fell, Gillian Groom, James Carey, Lynette Cullinane, Gwenda Darling, Dr John Davis, Anna Harrison, Julie Rankin and Lynda Whiteway, and chair Anne Burgess, who was appointed to the role in 2023.
The council was established in 2021 as an advisory body to the government on aged care reforms.
Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells said she valued the frank advice given to her by the Council of Elders and looked forward to continuing to collaborate with them to deliver the Aged Care Act and Support at Home program.
“The council’s advice on our reform reflects their unique, real-life experience of ageing and aged care. I am grateful for their valuable advice as we’ve worked to build a better aged care system for all older people,” Ms Wells said.
COTA Australia chief executive Patricia Sparrow welcomed the new members, calling the Council of Elders an important voice for older people to provide advice to the government, and the new members a great asset.
“Each new member brings a wealth of knowledge in aged care and ageing that will no doubt enhance the council’s work,” she said.
Professor Ponniah Anandajayasekeram (Dr Ananda) has held a number of civic leadership roles, including the Healthy Ageing Advisory Committee of the Federation of Ethnic Community Council of Australia, Regional Advisory Council of Victoria Multicultural Commission, the Welcoming Cities Reference Group of the Darebin City Council and the Tamil Senior Citizens Fellowship Victoria where he was president. His background is in agricultural economy.
Asssociate Professor John Cullen is a geriatrician based at a metropolitan teaching hospital. He is also the clinical director of a health service for older people requiring inpatient clinical care, ambulatory
care, community and residential aged care facility settings across the Sydney and south west Local
Health Networks.
William (Uncle Benny) Hodges is dedicated to promoting the social, cultural, spiritual and physical wellbeing of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people. He has spent 34 years working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs, including community development, organisation and program reviews and evaluations, facilitation management, leadership, governance and cultural immersion teaching.
Russell Westacott was the chief executive officer of Seniors Rights Service for close to 10 years. He also played a key role in setting up the Older Persons Advocacy Network, which assists the Commonwealth’s response to aged care and the needs of an ageing population.
They replace outgoing members Margaret Walsh, Professor Tom Calma, and Professor John McCallum, whom Ms Wells and Ms Burgess thanked for their service.
Ms Burgess said she was honoured to continue as chair, and looked forward to working with the members to continue providing well considered, on-the-ground advice about what matters most to older people.
“As a group, we are committed to ensuring the voices of older people are heard and considered in the reforms to aged care, and that advice based on lived experience is provided to government.”
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