CEO Update – July 2026

2 Jul 2026

COTA NT Board with NT Government Ministers at the Darwin Seniors Expo, 27 June

All the COTA team has been busy representing seniors in various ways.

Aged care and Advance Personal Plans (APP)

Our Aged Care Navigator has been providing people with easy-to-understand and up-to-date aged care information at pop-up stalls in Coolalinga and Darwin and delivering Advanced Personal Plans (APP) information sessions for individuals and small groups – have you done your APP yet?

We highly recommended doing so and there is plenty of opportunity to complete yours at Spillett House. The Public Guardian and Trustee will be coming into Spillett House (Darwin) to deliver free information and assistance with Advance Personal Plans and Wills. Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for the month of August, between 1pm and 4pm. No bookings are required.

We also attended an APP workshop to find out more about the revision and changes being made to the APP. Up-to-date information will be available during August.

COTA Australia

I also attended a COTA Australia CEOs meeting and the main topic of discussions were aged care changes and the pricing structure, which still has not be finalised. We all continue lobbying to ensure that seniors receive the best outcomes, access appropriate care and are treated with respect and dignity.

Ministerial Advisory Council for Senior Territorians (MAC-ST)

COTA NT is part of the Ministerial Advisory Council — and it’s here that we discuss issues and make recommendations to the Minister for Seniors. Issues under scrutiny include housing, elder abuse and the NT concession scheme – but a multitude of other issues are also discussed.

Pharmacy Board discussions

COTA NT is liaising with the Pharmacy Board regarding the ability of pharmacists to prescribe certain drugs but only after certain training requirements have been met. In May, NT Health Minister Steve Edgington announced that trained pharmacists will be able to diagnose and treat 21 conditions, without patients ever having to see a GP.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners had expressed concern that the prescribing changes have been rolled out before decisionmakers have a clear and consistent picture of how they are working in practice. The changes are designed to ease pressure on primary care services and hospitals.

Voluntary assisted dying

COTA NT is still lobbying on seniors’ behalf in relation to Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation, which hopefully will come before the NT parliament in August. We are again organising an information session in Darwin for seniors to learn more about the proposed legislation. You should have received details by email, but if not see details here.

You can still express your support of the campaign for VAD legislation in the NT by filling out a pledge card or signing a petition. Visit our website to download your pledge card.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

COTA organised two keynote speakers, Anne Burgess AM, Chair, Aged Care Council of Elders and the Hon Dr Kay Patterson AO for a series of ‘conversation changers’ in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek. These events were held in partnership with Darwin Community Legal Services and were attending by me and Aged Care Navigator, Janet Brown.

Darwin Seniors Expo

This was held on Saturday 27 June and was a great success with thousands streaming through the doors to enjoy the event supported by the NTG Major Community Benefit Fund, Netball NT and Territory FM 104.1, plus 85 exhibitors including many of our Club and Associate Members. The COTA NT staff and volunteers did an incredible job and we have received very positive feedback. The feedback survey closes on 6 July, so if you were there and haven’t completed the survey, you can do this now! (Click here) – You automatically go into a draw for a Mindil Beach Casino voucher.

We will be featuring photos from the day in the upcoming Seniors Voice (due out 4 August) and on the website soon. And thanks to all of you for stopping by our stalls!

Membership

Thanks to all our Members for renewing their membership for the FY 2026/2027 and welcome to new, joining Members. Please remember that we share news, articles and resources with you via our Members’ only website area, to which you must login. If you need help with this, please contact Ken in Membership Services on 08 8941 1004 during office hours.