National Carer Strategy Advisory Committee

The Minister for Social Services, the Hon Amanda Rishworth MP has appointed 16 members to the National Carer Strategy Advisory Committee, including two co-chairs, members from the carer community and sector representatives.

Committee members were selected through an open expression of interest process undertaken by the Department of Social Services. The quality of candidates was high, and the process was competitive with over 500 applications received.

Purpose of the Committee

Committee members will draw from their personal and professional experience to support the development, finalisation and implementation stages of the Strategy, as appropriate.

Committee members met on 4 June 2024 and endorsed the terms of reference for the committee.

Members

Membership for the National Carer Strategy Advisory Committee was announced in May 2024. Members include:

  • Andrew Whitecross, Co-Chair, (government representative, Department of Social Services) 
  • Meredith Coote, Co-Chair, (carer community)
  • Andy Kowaluk (carer community)
  • Annabel Reid (carer community and Chief Executive Officer of Carers Australia) 
  • Beverley Benporath (carer community and President of The Partners of Veterans Association of Australia Inc)
  • David Gibson (carer community and chair of GRAI GLBTI Rights in Ageing)
  • Jane Rowan (carer community and Executive Director of Eating Disorder Families Australia) 
  • Kerrie Franc (carer community)
  • Kyaw Naing (John) Yusuf (carer community)
  • Lachlan Rowe (carer community)
  • Madeleine Buchner OAM (carer community and Chief Executive Officer of Little Dreamers)
  • Mary Pilkinton (carer community)
  • Mikala Sedgwick (carer community and Senior Policy Officer at First Peoples Disability Network) 
  • Philip Coller (carer community) 
  • Philip Martin (carer community)

Meetings

The Committee will meet at minimum once a month. Short meeting updates will be provided on this page following each meeting.

Meeting updates

30 October 2024

The National Carer Strategy Advisory Committee met virtually and in person in Sydney on Gamayngal, Bideagal, Gweagal, Gadigal and Gadhungal country on 30 October 2024.

Key items covered in the meeting included:

  • Update on Strategy development progress and public feedback on the draft Strategy received to date.
  • Update on progress of a data project being undertaken by the Australia Institute on Family Studies (AIFS).
  • Consideration of initial actions to be delivered to support the Strategy.

9 October 2024

The National Carer Strategy Advisory Committee met virtually and in person in Adelaide on Kaurna country on 9 October 2024.

Key items covered in the meeting included:

  • Update on the finalisation of consultation activities and consultation reports received by the department.
  • Workshop and discussion around potential possible actions for consideration and updates to the National Strategy.
  • Update on progress of a data project being undertaken by the Australia Institute on Family Studies (AIFS) including the development of a theory of change.

6 September 2024

The National Carer Strategy Advisory Committee met virtually and in person in Sydney on Gamayngal, Bideagal, Gweagal, Gadigal and Gadhungal country on 6 September 2024.

Key items covered in the meeting included:

  • Update on consultation activities and findings, and progress of Strategy development. Consultation activities concluded on 13 September 2024.
  • Update on progress of a data project being undertaken by the Australia Institute on Family Studies (AIFS).
  • Consideration of outcomes and priority areas of focus and finalisation of the new Statement from Australia’s Carers.

6 August 2024

The National Carer Strategy Advisory Committee met virtually and in person in Brisbane on Meeanjin Country on 6 August 2024.

Key items discussed at the meeting included:

  • Update on consultations and strategy development. Consultation activities are underway until early September 2024.
  • Update on progress of a data project being undertaken by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS).
  • Discussion on capacity building needs for unpaid carers and gaps in current offerings.
  • Consideration of proposed structure of the strategy, including key elements and principles.

The next meeting will be held virtually and in-person on 6 September 2024.

10 July 2024

The National Carer Strategy Advisory Committee met virtually and in person in Melbourne on Wurundjeri country on 10 July 2024.

Key items covered in the meeting included:

  • Update on consultation activities and strategy development progress.  Some consultations have already commenced, with further activities occurring soon across metro, regional and remote areas
  • Overview of a planned data project to be undertaken by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFs) that will run concurrently with the development and implementation of the strategy and aims to deliver nationally consistent data on unpaid care.  AIFs representatives will continue to attend committee meetings as official observers
  • Consideration of guiding principles, objectives and format of a new statement from carers
  • Discussion of improvements to supports and other solutions to address issues of carer isolation.

The next meeting will be held face to face on 6 August 2024.

4 June 2024

The National Carer Strategy Advisory Committee met virtually and in person in Canberra on Ngunnawal/Ngambri country on 4 June 2024.

Key items covered in the meeting included:

  • The committee was invited to discuss, develop, and agree on a vision statement for the new National Carer Strategy. The vision statement is an aspirational statement of the intent of the Strategy. If supported by the consultation process, the finalised vision statement will be published in the new National Carer Strategy.
  • Targeted consultations have commenced, with several roundtables being held throughout May and June 2024.
  • Consultation outcomes will inform the development of the Strategy.
  • The committee participated in a Life Cycle of Caring workshop, discussing challenges and solutions for consideration in the Strategy.
  • The National Carer Strategy Advisory Committee terms of reference have been finalised and are available to view above (see purpose of the committee)

The next meeting will be held face to face on 10 July 2024.

6 May 2024

All National Carer Advisory Committee members met in person in Canberra on Ngunnawal/Ngambri country and online.

The Minister for Social Services, the Hon. Amanda Rishworth MP, joined the meeting to meet the members and thank them for their commitment to make positive changes for unpaid carers. Minister Rishworth and members discussed how the Strategy will work across government.

Key items covered in the meeting included:

  • The terms of reference were agreed by members subject to some minor adjustments. The finalised terms of reference will be published on this web page in the coming weeks.
  • The national consultations process: an approach to market for a supplier to deliver the national consultations is currently being finalised. Once a supplier is on board, the exact locations and timing of the national consultation process will be finalised.
  • The discussion paper and questionnaires: a discussion paper and 5 short questionnaires will be published on the department’s DSS Engage website in coming weeks as part of multi-faceted national consultation process. This will allow carers with lived experience and sector representatives the opportunity to tell government what is important to them and why. Submissions and feedback will be used to inform ongoing consultation themes and the drafting and development of the Strategy.
  • Early discussions on the development of the National Carer Strategy.

The next meeting will be held online in early June 2024.

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