In September the Minister for Ageing, Ken Wyatt named John Pollaers (pictured) to lead the government’s Aged Care Workforce Taskforce. Its job is to “explore short, medium and longer term options to boost supply, address demand and improve productivity for the aged care workforce”.
John Pollaers has a formidable CV. He is Chairman of the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council, Chairman of the Australian Industry and Skills Committee and executive chairman of Leef Independent Living Solutions (Innovative products and assessment tools to support healthy ageing and independent living).
In his previous business career he was CEO and Managing Director at Pacific Brands, CEO of Foster’s and MD of Carlton & United Breweries.
Last week Minister Wyatt announced the 12 members of the Taskforce - and was immediately hit by a media campaign by the nurses union, the ANMF, outraged that there was no worker representation. The Taskforce members are:
- Chair – Prof. John POLLAERS
- Dr Michele BRUNIGES – Secretary, Department of Education and Training
- Dr Penny FLETT – Pro Vice Chancellor University of Western Australia
- Dr Stephen JUDD – CEO Hammondcare
- Prof. Linda KRISTJANSON – Vice-Chancellor Swinburne University
- Alan LILLY – Chief Executive, Blue Cross
- Prof. Andrew ROBINSON – Co-Director of Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre,
- Tasmania, and Director Dementia Training Australia
- Catherine RULE – Acting Deputy Secretary, Department of Health
- Tim SHACKLETON – Chief Executive Officer, Rural Health West
- Pat SPARROW – Chief Executive Officer, Aged & Community Services Australia
- Dr Adrian TURNER – CEO, Data61, CSIRO
- Ian YATES – Chief Executive, Council on the Ageing
