Virtual Forum Program
The program is delivered across four concurrent streams throughout the day, giving attendees the flexibility to tailor their experience based on their interests and governance priorities.
Each session is streamed live, and attendees can choose which stream to join at the scheduled time. If you are unable to attend a session live, you will still have full access — all sessions are recorded and made available immediately after they are delivered, allowing you to catch up at your convenience.
To support busy board members and executive teams, the platform also provides on-demand access to all sessions for 90 days after the event, so you can revisit key discussions, share insights with colleagues, and explore content across all four streams in your own time.
This flexible format ensures you can:
- Build your own personalised program on the day
- Move between streams based on your priorities
- Catch up on anything you miss instantly
- Revisit sessions for up to three months after the event
Program Overview
The forum opens at 10.00am (AEST) with a welcome from the Master of Ceremonies and the CEO of Ageing Australia, followed by four concurrent streams:
Stream One The New Governance Mandate – Focuses on rights-based governance, workforce, clinical governance and consumer voice under the new Act.
Stream Two Governing Risk and Complexity – Explores financial governance, digital and data governance, insurance and emerging governance risks.
Keynote Panel – What’s Keeping Boards Awake at Night?
Sector leaders explore the real-time governance pressures emerging under the new Aged Care Act, including accountability, workforce challenges, financial sustainability, regulatory expectations, and leadership risk. This candid discussion provides insight into the issues currently demanding the most attention at board level and how organisations are responding.
Stream Three Governance Essentials for New Directors – A dedicated stream supporting new and aspiring board members to build governance capability and confidence.
Stream Four – Governance in Practice –Real-world insights into how different providers are navigating governance challenges, including private and regional providers.
Why This Format Works
This structure is designed specifically for board directors and executive teams, recognising that governance leaders face competing priorities and limited time. The flexible streaming and on-demand access ensure you don’t miss critical insights while still allowing you to focus on the topics most relevant to your role.
12.30pm
What’s Keeping Boards Awake at Night?
As the new Aged Care Act begins to take effect, boards and executives across the sector are grappling with a new landscape of expectations, responsibilities and risks. From governance accountability and workforce pressures to financial sustainability and regulatory scrutiny, the first phase of implementation is already surfacing important challenges and lessons.
In this candid panel discussion, sector leaders will reflect on what they are seeing and experiencing as the reforms take hold. Drawing on real-world experience, they will share the issues that are demanding the most attention at board level, the areas where organisations are feeling the greatest pressure, and how providers are responding to evolving regulatory expectations.
Attendees will gain valuable insight into the governance questions boards are asking, the practical challenges emerging across the sector, and the strategies organisations are using to navigate uncertainty and strengthen oversight.
This session offers an opportunity to hear directly from experienced leaders about what is keeping boards awake at night and how they are preparing their organisations for the next phase of reform.
10.30am
Governing Under the New Act: Six Months On
Julie McStay, Partner, Thomson Geer
Six months after the introduction of the new Aged Care Act, early implementation is beginning to reveal how governance expectations are playing out across the sector in practice. As providers move from preparation into delivery, both challenges and positive shifts are emerging in how boards and executives are responding to the new framework.
This session will focus on the early realities of implementation — the governance challenges organisations are experiencing as requirements become embedded, as well as the areas where providers are adapting well and strengthening their approach.
Key themes will include emerging pressures on board oversight and decision-making, evolving expectations around risk and accountability, and practical examples of where organisations are building stronger governance capability in response to reform.
Designed for board members, executives and governance leaders, this session offers a timely snapshot of the early post-implementation landscape and what it is revealing about governance in practice.
11am
Embedding Consumer Voice and Co-Design
Cheryl Edwards, Head of Member Support & Advisory, Ageing Australia
The new Aged Care Act places the rights and voices of older people at the centre of care, making engagement a core responsibility of boards and leadership teams. Ensuring that the perspectives of residents, clients, and their families meaningfully shape governance and service delivery is no longer optional – it is fundamental to quality care.
This session will explore what rights-based practice looks like in governance, how organisations can embed genuine co-design at board and executive levels, and practical ways to test whether consumer engagement is authentic rather than tokenistic. Attendees will also learn how to transform feedback, complaints, and lived experience into actionable insights that drive strategic decision-making and improve outcomes for older people.
Designed for board members, executives, and governance leaders, this session will provide practical examples to ensure that consumer voices are not only heard but actively influence governance, strategy, and care delivery.
11.30am
Workforce: Strategy, Safety and Satisfaction
A capable, motivated and psychologically safe workforce is the foundation of high-quality aged care. As the sector faces increasing regulatory expectations, workforce shortages, and growing care complexity, boards and leaders must take a proactive role in workforce governance.
This session will explore how aged care organisations can develop and implement a comprehensive workforce strategy that aligns with organisational goals and ensures sustainable care delivery. Speakers will highlight practical approaches to supporting staff wellbeing, building engagement, and fostering a psychologically safe culture where employees feel valued, empowered, and able to raise concerns.
Attendees will gain insights into the governance responsibilities associated with workforce planning, how to measure and monitor staff satisfaction, and strategies for retaining and developing talent in a high-demand sector. This session is designed for board members, executives, and workforce leaders seeking to strengthen the connection between governance, workforce wellbeing, and quality care outcomes.
12pm
Clinical Governance: Leading Safe, High-Quality Care
Dr Melanie Tan, Clinical Governance Consulting
As expectations around quality and safety continue to rise, effective clinical governance has become a critical responsibility for aged care providers and their governing bodies. Under the strengthened governance framework, organisations must demonstrate clear oversight of clinical care, from setting strategic priorities to ensuring robust systems are in place to monitor safety and performance.
This session will explore the role of governing bodies in establishing and maintaining strong clinical governance arrangements. It will examine how boards and executives can set clear priorities and strategic directions for safe, high-quality clinical care, ensure these expectations are communicated across the workforce, and embed them within everyday practice.
Speakers will also discuss the importance of endorsing and regularly reviewing a clinical governance framework, as well as the mechanisms used to monitor clinical performance, identify risks and drive continuous improvement. Through practical insights and examples, attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how strengthened clinical governance supports better care outcomes and organisational accountability.
Ideal for board members, executives and clinical leaders, this session will highlight what effective oversight of clinical care looks like in today’s aged care environment.
Please note that the conference program is subject to change at the discretion of the organisers without prior notice. We reserve the right to alter speakers, session times and topics as necessary.
10.30am
Financial Governance: Stewardship, Sustainability and Accountability
In an increasingly complex and regulated environment, strong financial governance is essential to ensuring the sustainability and resilience of aged care organisations. Boards and executives must balance financial stewardship with the growing expectations around quality care, workforce investment and regulatory compliance.
This session will explore the critical role governing bodies play in overseeing financial performance, managing risk and ensuring resources are used responsibly to support high-quality care. Speakers will discuss how organisations can strengthen financial oversight, improve transparency, and align financial decision-making with strategic priorities and consumer outcomes.
Attendees will gain insights into key elements of effective financial governance, including monitoring financial sustainability, understanding funding pressures, and ensuring appropriate controls and reporting mechanisms are in place. The session will also examine how boards can navigate financial challenges while maintaining a strong focus on care quality and organisational purpose.
Designed for board members, executives and finance leaders, this session will provide practical perspectives on building robust financial governance that supports both accountability and long-term sustainability in aged care.
11am
Risk, Reform and Resilience: What the New Environment Means for Insurance and Leadership Liability
The aged care sector is experiencing one of the most significant shifts in risk and accountability in decades. As reforms reshape governance expectations and regulatory scrutiny intensifies, organisations are facing new exposures that directly impact boards, executives and organisational resilience. These changes are also influencing how insurers assess risk and structure coverage across the sector.
This session will explore what the evolving reform landscape means from a risk and insurance perspective. We will examine the emerging exposures facing aged care providers, including increased governance accountability, regulatory compliance pressures and the implications for Directors & Officers and management liability coverage.
Attendees will gain practical insights into how insurers are viewing the sector, what organisations can do to strengthen their risk profile, and the steps boards and leadership teams can take to protect both the organisation and its directors in a more complex risk environment. The session will also highlight examples of good practice and strategies that providers can adopt to demonstrate strong governance, improve resilience and prepare for increased scrutiny.
Designed for board members, executives and governance leaders, this session will provide a pragmatic perspective on navigating risk, strengthening protections and building organisational resilience in the new aged care environment.
11.30am
Data, Technology & Digital Governance
As aged care providers increasingly rely on digital systems to deliver, monitor and improve care, boards and executives must ensure they have the right governance structures in place to oversee technology, data and digital risk. From electronic care records and data reporting to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the role of digital systems in aged care has never been more critical.
This session will explore the growing importance of digital governance in a sector where technology now underpins quality of care, regulatory compliance and organisational performance. Speakers will examine the governance responsibilities associated with data security, cyber risk, system reliability and the ethical use of information, as well as the opportunities technology presents to improve care outcomes and operational insight.
Attendees will gain practical insights into how organisations can strengthen oversight of digital investments, ensure appropriate safeguards around data, and build the governance capability needed to support innovation while managing risk.
Designed for board members, executives and senior leaders, this session will help providers understand what effective data, technology and digital governance looks like in an increasingly connected aged care environment.
12pm
Advisory Boards in Aged Care: Value, Influence and Governance Risk
Louise Broekman, Founding Director, Advisory Board Centre
As aged care providers navigate reform, increasing regulation and growing operational complexity, many organisations are turning to advisory boards and specialist advisors to strengthen their strategic capability. From clinical advisory groups to technology and transformation panels, these structures can provide valuable external expertise and independent insight.
But as advisory boards become more common, important governance questions are emerging. Where does advice end and decision-making begin? How do organisations ensure independence when advisors are engaged over long periods or play multiple roles across strategy, consulting and implementation? And how can boards benefit from external expertise while maintaining clear accountability?
This session explores the growing use of advisory boards across the sector and what it means for aged care providers operating in a highly regulated environment. Drawing on emerging global governance trends and practical examples, the session will examine how advisory structures can support stronger decision-making, while also highlighting the potential risks of blurred roles, conflicts of interest and “shadow governance.”
Attendees will gain practical insights into how boards and executives can use advisory expertise effectively while maintaining clear governance boundaries, independence and accountability under the new aged care regulatory framework.
2pm
Stepping Into the Boardroom: What Every New Director Needs to Know
Joining a board has never carried greater responsibility. As aged care governance expectations continue to evolve, new and aspiring directors must understand not only the role of the board, but the legal, ethical and strategic responsibilities that come with it.
This session provides a practical introduction to governance in aged care, including the role of directors, fiduciary duties, accountability under the new Aged Care Act, and the relationship between boards, executives and regulators. Attendees will gain insight into what makes an effective director, the questions boards should be asking, and how directors can contribute with confidence in a highly regulated environment.
Ideal for first-time directors, emerging leaders and professionals considering a future board role.
2.30pm
From Operational Leader to Board Director: Making the Mindset Shift
Transitioning from management to governance can be challenging. Many new directors bring strong operational expertise but must learn to think strategically, govern rather than manage, and maintain appropriate oversight without stepping into operations.
This session explores the key mindset shifts required when moving into a board role. Attendees will gain practical insight into governance boundaries, strategic oversight, decision-making and how to add value as a director while respecting the role of management.
Perfect for executives, senior leaders and clinicians considering a future governance pathway.
3pm
The Questions Good Directors Ask
Strong governance is not about having all the answers — it’s about asking the right questions. In an increasingly complex aged care environment, directors must be able to challenge constructively, interpret risk, and seek assurance across quality, workforce, finance and compliance.
This session explores the critical questions effective directors ask to strengthen oversight and decision-making. Through practical examples and governance scenarios, attendees will learn how to identify red flags, test assumptions, and gain confidence in navigating board discussions.
A practical session for new and aspiring directors looking to build their governance capability and boardroom confidence.
2pm
Board Culture Matters: Building High-Performing Governance Team
Effective governance depends not only on structures and compliance, but on culture, relationships and behaviour in the boardroom. High-performing boards create environments where diverse perspectives are welcomed, challenge is constructive, and accountability is shared.
This session explores the characteristics of effective board culture and the role directors play in fostering trust, psychological safety and strong decision-making practices.
2.30pm
What the New Aged Care Act Means for Privately Owned Providers
The introduction of the new Aged Care Act brings significant changes for all providers, but privately owned organisations face a distinct set of governance, accountability and operational considerations. As expectations around transparency, quality oversight and consumer rights increase, privately owned providers must navigate how these requirements apply within different ownership and governance structures.
In this session, a privately owned aged care provider will share their organisation’s experience navigating the transition to the new Act. From reviewing governance arrangements and strengthening quality oversight to embedding a stronger focus on consumer rights and workforce capability, this session will provide a practical look at what implementation has meant on the ground.
Hall and Prior will reflect on the challenges encountered, the changes that have delivered the greatest impact, and the lessons learned along the way. Attendees will gain insight into how one provider has approached reform within a privately owned model, and what others can take from their experience as the sector continues to adapt.
This session offers a candid, provider-led perspective on turning legislative change into practical action.
3pm
Big Expectations, Small Boards: Governing in Regional and Community Aged Care
Regional, rural and community-based aged care providers are facing a growing tension between increasing governance expectations and the practical realities of operating with smaller boards, limited specialist capability, and constrained access to resources. Under the new Aged Care Act, expectations around oversight, accountability and risk management continue to rise — creating particular challenges for smaller organisations that remain deeply embedded in their local communities.
In this session, a strategic governance expert will explore what effective governance looks like in this context and how smaller providers can adapt their governance approach to meet modern expectations without losing their community focus and identity.
The session will examine the key governance challenges facing regional and community-based providers, including board capability, succession planning, director recruitment and retention, and the increasing complexity of compliance and oversight responsibilities. It will also explore practical approaches to strengthening governance systems in resource-constrained environments, including the use of external expertise, advisory structures, prioritisation of board focus areas, and collaborative or shared governance approaches.
Importantly, the session will consider how organisations can maintain strong governance standards while ensuring boards remain realistic, effective and sustainable in the long term.
Attendees will gain practical insights into how governance can be strengthened in smaller providers, what “good” looks like in this environment, and how boards can position themselves for future regulatory and sector change.