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Program overview


Aged Care Futures: People, Purpose and Progress 

The conference theme highlights where the sector is heading and what providers need to focus on next. You will gain insights into workforce, quality care and the innovations shaping tomorrow’s services.  

People

Centers on the workforce and empowering the next generation through strong career pathways and capability building. We will focus on attracting talent, growing skills and developing future leaders.

Purpose

Focuses on supporting aged care providers to deliver sustainable, high-quality services, ensuring safety and meaningful outcomes while adapting to funding changes and post-reform requirements.

Progress

Explore innovation, technology and new models of care, showing how providers can adapt, improve operations and remain resilient as the sector changes.

Program at a glance

Wednesday 3 June | Day 1 pre-event workshop and networking

9am - 5pm

Registration open

10am - 4pm

CaLD Interactive Roundtable Workshop 

This session will combine a roundtable and workshop format to encourage discussion and practical application.

Program at a glance

Thursday 4 June | Day 2 conference and exhibition

8am - 5pm

Registration open

9am - 9.10am

Welcome and Opening of Conference  

Liz Behjat, Director Government Relations, Ageing Australia 

9.10am - 9.20am

Welcome to Country
Jayden 
Boundry, 
Wadjak, BalardongYued, Wilman Noongar and Badimaya Yamatji 

9.20am - 9.35am

Ministerial Address
Hon Simone McGurk MLA, Minister for Creative Industries; Heritage; Industrial Relations; Aged Care and Seniors; Women

9.35am - 10.05am

Ageing Australia CEO Address
Tom Symondson, CEO, Ageing Australia

10.05am - 10.35am

People, Pay and Productivity: The Economics of Aged Care
Conrad Liveris, Economist & Independent Advisor

Australia’s aged care reforms have changed rules, wages and expectations, but workforce pressure remains. This session uses economics to examine people, pay, productivity and work design, including practical ways technology and AI can reduce wasted time, support workers and strengthen care without replacing the human work at aged care’s centre.

  1. Aged care workforce pressure stems from increasing demand, labour market competition, funding, regulation, and work structure - not just staff shortages.
  2. While pay is important, retention also relies on factors like job structure, rosters, supervision, training, autonomy, career paths, and manageable workloads.
  3. Productivity in aged care should be defined as the efficient utilisation of limited labour resources, rather than accelerating the pace of care delivery. Technology and artificial intelligence are most valuable when they streamline processes and enhance, rather than replace, human judgment.

10.35am - 11.05am

Morning Tea and Networking 

11.10am - 11.50am

Sector Panel: How is the Sector Tracking Under the New Aged Care Act? 
Roulé Jones, CEO, Bethanie 
Penny Fielding, Director & CEO, Pearl Home Care 
Mitesh Ramji, Partner - Financial Advisory, Corporate Finance, Grant Thornton  
Andrew Dunjey, Corporate Relationship Executive, Commonwealth Bank 
Moderator: Tom Symondson, CEO, Ageing Australia 

This panel takes a candid look at implementation in practice - what’s delivering results, what challenges persist, and where efforts should be directed next. It offers a balanced discussion grounded in the sector’s current realities. 

11.50am - 12.30pm

Aged Care Futures: Leading with People, Purpose and Progress 
Emeritus Professor Gary Martin, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director, Australian Institute of Management WA 

12.30pm - 1pm

Beyond Compliance: Partnering for Quality and Trust Under the New Aged Care Act
Scott Rumbold, Assistant Commissioner, Audit; Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission

1pm - 2pm

Lunch and Networking 

2.05pm - 3.15pm

Interactive Workshop:
Two Sectors, One Person: Rethinking the Discharge Pathway in WA
An interactive, discussion-led session bringing aged care and hospital perspectives together to examine discharge as one pathway. Attendees will engage through live polls and shared discussion, focusing on where transitions break down and practical ways to improve coordination, flow and outcomes. 

3.15pm - 3.45pm

Afternoon Tea and Networking 

3.45pm - 4.25pm

Fireside Chat:
Experiences from the Netherlands and Norway 
Russell Bricknell, CEO, Juniper Aged Care 
David Sharpham, Chief People & Transformation Officer, Bethanie

4.25pm - 4.55pm

Navigating the Next Phase of Aged Care Reform 
Cassie Mason, State Manager WA and SA, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing 

4.55pm - 5pm

Day Wrap Up and Closing 
Liz Behjat, Director Government Relations, Ageing Australia 

6.30pm - 7pm

Pre-dinner drinks 

7pm - 11pm

Conference dinner

Program at a glance

Friday 5 June | Day 3 conference and exhibition

8am - 5pm

Registration open

9am - 9.05am

Opening Remarks and Welcome Back  
Liz Behjat, Director Government Relations, Ageing Australia

9.05am - 9.35am

When a Reporter Calls: Handling Media Heat…
Ben Harvey, Chief Reporter, Editorial, Seven West Media (WA) 

The aged care industry has never experienced as much media attention as it is now and this trend will likely continue for the next few years as the baby boomers work their way through the system. For the first time in history, the sector is catering to demanding customers who are technologically savvy and not afraid to contact the media if they feel aggrieved. This session will give a behind-the-scenes look inside a modern newsroom so people can understand the media machines reporters work for and offer some tips on what to do, and what not to do, if you are contacted by a journalist.

Key takeaways:

  • Fake news: What makes a story in 2026
  • Good news: Breaking into the media cycle
  • Old news: Why generational change means more media heat

9.35am - 10.05am

Fireside Chat:
From Headlines to Parliament. A conversation with Basil Zempilas
 
Basil Zempilas, Leader of the Opposition, Shadow Minister for State Development; Trade and Investment; Citizenship and Multicultural Interests 
Liz Behjat, Director Government Relations, Ageing Australia 
 

This session covers Basil’s transition from media to politics, decision-making under scrutiny, and how communication shapes public trust. Opens the door to light, engaging questions early.

10.05am - 10.35am

Understanding and Adapting to Funding Changes Under the New  Aged Care Act
Stuart Hutcheon, Managing Partner, StewartBrown 

10.35am - 11.05am

Morning Tea and Networking

11.10am - 11.40am

Session

11.40am - 12.10pm

Case Study: Silverchain's AI Pilot

12.10pm - 12.40pm

Palliative Care Strategy: Melville Cares, WAPHA and the End-of-Life Model of Care under Support at Home 
Maria Davison, CEO, Melville Cares 

12.40pm - 1.40pm

Lunch and Networking

1.45pm - 2.25pm

Panel Discussion:
WA’s Ageing Future: What the Data Tells Us and What 2030 Will Demand 
Bianca Marson Whait, WA Seniors Peak Manager, Advocare 
Council of Elders 
Juniper Aged Care 
Moderator: Belinda Allen, Chief Officer of Member Experience, Ageing Australia 

 

This session explores the latest ageing demographic trends in Western Australia and what they mean for providers over the next five years. Drawing on insights from The Voice of Older Western Australians White Paper 2025 and the Ageing Australia: Community Expectations Report, it connects population data with lived experience and community expectations. It will link these insights to practical implications for service demand, workforce, funding, and models of care, then look ahead to what aged care could realistically look like by 2030. 

2.25pm - 3.25pm

Workforce Session  
Andrew Hayward, Head of Workforce Strategy, Ageing Australia
Laura Sutherland, Director & Founder Above & Beyond Group  

3.25pm - 3.55pm

Afternoon Tea and Networking

3.55pm - 4.25pm

Key Learnings and Takeaways - Rethinking the Discharge Pathway in WA 

Nick Elmitt, Head of Quality & Research, Ageing Australia
A/Prof George Eskander, Chief Clinical Operations Officer, WA Health 

A concise recap of the previous day’s workshop, highlighting key insights from aged care and hospital perspectives. The session will cover where discharge pathways are breaking down, what is working, and practical actions to improve coordination, flow and outcomes. Includes a snapshot of audience poll results and clear, actionable takeaways for providers. 

4.25pm - 4.55pm

Closing Keynote

4.55pm - 5pm

Conference Close  
Liz Behjat, Director Government Relations, Ageing Australia 

5pm - 6pm

Networking Hour
Unwind after a full day of conference and continue the conversation. Connect with peers, speakers and industry partners in a relaxed setting. Share insights, spark new ideas and build valuable relationships before the day wraps up.

Disclaimer: Please note that this conference program is subject to revisions and updates. While every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy, changes may
occur prior to the event. Attendees are encouraged to regularly check for updates on the conference website. Thank you for your understanding.