Role
The Australian Government established the National Aged Care Advisory Council in 2021 in response to recommendation 7 of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety final report.
The council provides expert advice to government on key matters relating to the aged care sector. 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.
Members include:
- aged care workers
- providers
- health and allied health professionals
- specialists in training and education
- independent experts.
We use advice from the council to ensure aged care reforms consider a wide range of perspectives across the aged care sector.
The council reports to the Minister for Health and Ageing and Minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors.
More information on the advisory council's role is contained in the Terms of Reference.
Members
The members of the National Aged Care Advisory Council have wide ranging expertise and knowledge of the aged care sector.
Although council members are not organisational representatives, they are selected based on their strong connections to sector organisations and relevant expertise.
A refreshed membership was announced for 2025 and continuation of First Nations representation was announced in 2026.
| Members | Organisation | Position | State/territory |
| Professor Sue Gordon | Former Research Director, Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia (AIIRA) | Chair | Vic |
| Professor Tanya Buchanan | CEO, Dementia Australia | Council member | NSW |
| Anne Burgess AM | Chair, Council of Elders Chair, Aged Care Transition Taskforce | Council member | SA |
| Annie Butler | Secretary, Nurses and Midwifery Federation, VIC | Council Member | Vic |
| Natasha McCormack | Deputy CEO, Purple House, Mparntwe (Alice Springs) | Council Member | NT |
| Peter Doukas OAM | Chair, Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) | Council Member | NSW |
| Craig Gear | CEO, Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) | Council Member | NSW |
| Dr Sandra Iuliano | Senior Research Fellow (Nutrition) | Council member | Vic |
| Charles Moore | CEO, BaptistCare | Council member | NSW |
| Simon Miller | CEO, Anglicare | Council member | NSW |
| Carolyn Smith | Vice President of the United Workers Union | Council member | WA |
| Patricia Sparrow | CEO of Council on the Ageing (COTA) | Council member | Vic |
| Thomas Symondson | CEO of Ageing Australia | Council member | Vic |
| Cathy Thomas | Group Executive BlueCare | Council member | Qld |
| Lloyd Williams | Secretary of the Health Services Union | Council member | WA |
| Associate Professor Mark Yates | Geriatrician, Ballarat Health Services | Council member | Vic |
Meetings
The National Aged Care Advisory Council meets approximately every 8 weeks.
Communiques
National Aged Care Advisory Council – Communiques
Related committees and groups
In addition to the National Aged Care Advisory Council, the Australian Government established the Council of Elders as an advisory body to the aged care reforms.
The Council of Elders provides advice from older people to the government about the aged care system and ageing well.
The Chair of the Council of Elders is a member of the Advisory Council.
Contact
