COTA NT’s Chief Executive is contacted regularly by Territory and national media to discuss concerns affecting seniors in the Northern Territory.

On this page interviews and discussions on: Aged care | Community | Concessions | Safety | Voluntary assisted dying

For media enquiries

Please contact the CEO: call 8941 1004 or use the contact us form.

A selection of articles feature below. To read more, simply search online for “Sue Shearer” or “COTA NT” or “Council on the Ageing” (also spelt Aging).

Aged care

CEO Sue Shearer talks about the critical shortage of aged care beds in the NT
Aged care bed shortages as senior population grows – ABC News Isabella Tolhurst, Sat 18 Mar 2023

A concerned CEO Sue Shearer warns of more deaths, aged care sector pressures including inadequate staff training, low salaries and worker shortages
As COVID-19 enters aged care homes in the NT, concerns are growing for the wellbeing of residents inside – ABC News Samantha Dick, Sun 6 Feb 2022

CEO Sue Shearer calls for hospital care money to be spent on dementia-specific, high-needs aged care facility
Elderly dementia patients living indefinitely in NT public hospitals – ABC News Lauren Roberts, Tue 7 Jul 2020

Community

CEO Sue Shearer adds a voice for a stable ambulance service and additional funding
NT paramedics warn weekend ‘critical failure point’ will ‘happen again’– ABC News Courtney Barrett Peters, Mon 30 March 2026

CEO Sue Shearer outlines what the NT needs to address as the seniors population grows
Northern Territory set for rise in retirees – ABC News Kylie Stevenson, Sat 4 Sep 2021

Concessions

CEO Sue Shearer calls for government’s service provider to be sacked
NT government trying to recoup $500,000 after seniors’ concession scheme overpayment bungle – ABC News Matt Garrick, Thu 9 Nov 2023

Safety

CEO Sue Shearer voices concerns about crime and safety for older residents, some of who have already left
Offenders ‘targeting’ elderly residents at home in series of assaults in Alice Springs – ABC News Victoria Ellis, Mon 17 Nov 2025

After 50 years in the Territory, CEO Sue Shearer was attacked by youths for the first time and speak about this and use of OC spray.
ABC News: Older Territorians say they still feel unsafe as residents homes targeted – ABC News Jason Walls, Mon 6 Oct 2025

Voluntary assisted dying

CEO Sue Shearer talks about how her mother asked her for help to end her life before she died in this article about voluntary assisted dying legislation for the NT
Doctor Philip Nitschke to lobby for progressive euthanasia laws in the Northern Territory, as others call for caution – ABC News Jane Bardeon, Fri 13 Jan 2023

 

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