New Aged Care Advisory Committee Improves Consultation with Sector

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25 June 2008

Minister for Ageing, Mrs Justine Elliot today announced a revamped industry advisory committee to improve consultation with the sector, workforce and consumers representing residents and older Australians.

The new Ageing Consultative Committee includes commercial and not-for-profit aged care providers, consumer groups, professional and union bodies*. (full list attached)

The ACC would meet for the first time this week (Thursday June 26, 2008) and would be chaired by Andrew Stuart, First Assistant Secretary, Ageing And Aged Care Division, Department of Health and Ageing.

Mrs Elliot said this is about preparing for Australia’s ageing population and the challenges of the 21st century.

Australians now have the second longest life expectancy in the world – after the Japanese. (Source: Australia’s Health 2008: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare)

“This is wonderful news, but we have to work together on these challenges,” Mrs Elliot said.

The Australian Government is responding by over the next four years by investing more than $40 billion into aged and community care - $28.6 billion of that on residential care alone.

In addition, Mrs Elliot outlined changes to other advisory groups to give them a sharper focus.

The Ageing Consultative Committee (ACC) merges the former Aged Care Advisory Committee and the Community Care Advisory Committee – reducing duplication. It would provide advice directly to Mrs Elliot.

“The establishment of the ACC along with changes to other advisory groups will help ensure stakeholders can provide me with relevant advice regarding the Government’s new aged care direction,” Mrs Elliot said.

“The Government wants to hear the views of the aged care industry, consumers and the dedicated workforce in our nation’s 2,870 nursing homes.”

The ACC will focus efficiency in bed allocation process, the review of aged care planning ratios, proposed changes to the regulatory framework and the better integration of community and residential care.

There will also be changes to other advisory groups, to give them a current focus, as many were established to advise on matters that have now been implemented.


For more information, contact Mrs Elliot's office on (02) 6277 7280

Other advisory committee changes include:

• The Aged Care Workforce Committee has been reviewed, with new terms of reference and a smaller, more expert membership.
• As announced in March, the Aged Care Funding Instrument Reference Group will continue beyond 20 March 2008 as a consultative mechanism, and to assist in the review of the Aged Care Funding Instrument which will start in 18 months; and
• Transactions and Technology Reference Group will now take responsibility for consulting with Medicare Australia and industry on electronic payments in aged care.

Member organisation

Provider representation

Aged Care Association Australia

Aged and Community Services Australia

Catholic Health Australia

Anglicare Australia

UnitingCare Australia

ACH Group

Retirement Village Association of Australia

Baptist Community Services

Babcock & Brown Communities

Consumer representation

National Seniors Australia Ltd

Carers Australia

Alzheimer's Australia

COTA Over 50s Ltd

Professional/employee representation

Australian Medical Association

Health Services Union of Australia

Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine

Allied Health Professions Australia

Royal College of Nursing Australia

Australian Nursing Federation

Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union

Government representation

Department of Health and Ageing (Chair)

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Ltd

For more information, contact Mrs Elliot's office on (02) 6277 7280