The Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care, Ken Wyatt, has appointed three new members to the Aged Care Sector Committee (ACSC).
Representing the National Advisory Group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care on the ACSC will be Jody Currie, CEO of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service Brisbane.
Ms Currie has expertise on the special needs of senior Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia’s aged care system.
Chair of the Australian Industry and Skills Committee on the ACSC will be . Professor John Pollaers, who has expertise and, according to Mr Wyatt, “outstanding achievements” in supporting the aged care workforce sector and broader education, including as chair of the Aged Care Workforce Strategy Taskforce (2017-2018).
National Seniors Australia CEO, Professor John McCallum has also been appointed to the ACSC, following the retirement of the former CEO of National Seniors Australia, Dagmar Parsons.
Professor McCallum attended ACSC meetings throughout 2018 as interim CEO of National Seniors Australia. He brings extensive experience as a health and ageing researcher and has led more than 20 research reports related to the quality of life for older Australians.
The ACSC was established in 2014 and works closely with the Australian government to develop and implement aged care policy.
The committee’s membership comprises representatives from peak bodies, for-profit and not-for-profit providers, and consumer and workforce representatives. It provides the foundation for ongoing partnership and collaboration between the aged care sector and the government.
Taking a step to address the diverse needs of senior Australians, Minister Wyatt last month launched four action plans under the ACSC’s Aged Care Diversity Framework.
The action plans guide aged care providers and others in the sector on delivering respectful, inclusive and culturally safe services to:
- Senior Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
- Senior culturally and linguistically diverse people.
- Senior lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, and intersex elders
- All diverse groups.
Mr Wyatt welcomed the appointment of the new committee members, saying the appointments build on the ACSC’s strong collaboration with the Morrison government, ensuring aged care policy is informed by a wide range of views and experience to continue to address the needs of Australia’s ageing population.
