Leadership

Australia’s aged care system has long funded decline rather than independence. Could expanding restorative care reshape demand, improve outcomes for older Australians and create a more sustainable future for providers, governments and taxpayers alike?

Human oversight of aged care’s automated assessment tool has finally been granted. CEO Mark O’Brien explains why the change matters for older Australians, and why wait times may still leave many without the support they urgently need.

As AI adoption grows, treating it like traditional software leaves organisations vulnerable. Aged care providers must look beyond static risk registers to embrace continuous, dynamic governance for this fundamentally different class of technology.

Public trust in aged care isn’t shaped by media alone. This article explores how leaders can strengthen organisational credibility through quality care, greater community visibility and sector-wide collaboration, creating authentic experiences and trusted voices that help close the media information gap.

As NDIS reforms repeat the design flaws of aged care’s algorithmic funding failures, Disability Discrimination Commissioner Rosemary Kayess warns that providers will bear the fallout of standardised models that sacrifice individual needs for budget repair.

NDIS and aged care providers are facing growing pressure to meet compliance expectations, manage costs and keep the focus on care. Lumary CEO Daniel Wyner says the organisations best prepared for the future will be those that understand their operations today.

Following KPMG’s high-profile whistleblower governance failure, Australian aged care directors face heightened scrutiny. Under the new Aged Care Act, leaders can be personally fined up to $165,000 for non-compliant reporting systems, even if the organisation itself escapes regulatory action.

Workforce shortages remain a challenge, but technology is creating a new capability gap. Leaders who invest in continuous learning, workforce development and organisational adaptability will be best placed to navigate the future of Australia’s aged care sector.

Aged care’s greatest loss may not be funding or capacity — it may be the experienced leaders walking away. As reform fatigue deepens, Juniper Care CEO Russell Bricknell warns that exhaustion is driving talent from the sector and exposing the limits of an increasingly risk-averse system. From dignity of risk to lessons from Europe, he outlines why a fundamental shift in thinking may be needed to secure aged care’s future.

Aged Care Week 2026 brought sector leaders to Sydney to confront governance, AI, recruitment and rights-based care head-on. Across three days, a clear theme emerged: providers leaning into honest, on-the-ground lessons to shape a more sustainable future.