COTA Inaugural National Congress 1999

Older Australians: a Working Future?
The Changing Nature of Work and Retirement in the 21st Century
7-9 November 1999

Proceedings available for $35 ($10 seniors)
- contact COTA SA; details at bottom

Contents

• About Congress
• Congress strands
• Keynote speakers
• Program outline
• General information
• Contact details
• Post-Congress Communique 10 Nov

About Congress

Invitation from Sheila Rimmer, National President of COTA

It is with pleasure that I invite you to attend the Inaugural National COTA Congress entitled Older Australians: A Working Future? to be held in Adelaide from the 7th - 9th November 1999. This promises to be a stimulating and enjoyable Congress with the emphasis on employment for the future.

Older Australians: A Working Future? will challenge participants, discuss policies, theories, strategies and programs; advocate new directions; facilitate communication, education and training; and increase public awareness of the social, economic and political impact of limiting employment options for older adults.

The Congress program is varied and challenging and will provide an opportunity to meet with people from a variety of backgrounds and discuss common issues and strategies. We have encouraged Keynote Presenters and delegates to break the boundaries of traditional thinking and provide innovative and stimulating contributions. We are sure you will agree that the resulting program reflects this emphasis.

We look forward to seeing you in Adelaide.

Congress Aims

Older Australians: A Working Future? will:

• Generate a forum for discussion and debate about the changing role of older adults in the workplace
• Confront the social, economic and political impact of limiting employment options for older adults
• Highlight and promote the benefits of retaining older people in the workforce
• Identify innovative ideas and strategies to expand the role of older adults in the work environment of the 21st Century
• Promote the value and contribution of older adults to the paid and unpaid workforce.

Congress Strands

The congress theme Older Australians: A Working Future? will be explored through each of our four strands.

1.Productivity, Employment and Older Adults - The Myths and the Reality

Debunks the myth that older adults are less productive than their younger co-workers. This strand will showcase innovative solutions to improve company productivity through the employment of older adults. Current employment practices and their impact on older workers will be discussed along with how to introduce a smooth transition from full time employment to retirement.

2. Unemployment and Older Adults

Explores the real dimensions of mature age unemployment beyond the limits of official statistics, and the dramatic impacts of unemployment on older adults. This strand will also discuss the impact of government policy, community attitudes and corporate restructuring practices on older adults trying to re-enter the workforce.

3. Retirement-If, How and When

Will describe the changing nature of retirement and its impact on older people's financial security, health and well-being and the implications for an ageing society. It will also showcase a number of programs and strategies which assist older people to plan for a meaningful and satisfying retirement.

4. Open Forum

The Congress will have an open section providing an opportunity to discuss topics not included in the other strands.

Keynote Speakers

Bronwyn Bishop

As Minister for Aged Care in the Federal Government, Bronwyn Bishop brings a broad and progressive view to the needs of Australia's ageing population. Previously Minister for Defence Industry, Science and Personnel, Mrs Bishop was promoted to the Aged Care portfolio following the October 1998 federal election.

In a recent speech to the National Press Club, Mrs Bishop said "It is my view that mature age employees are too valuable to waste and we must illustrate the wider benefit to the economy and the community of increased involvement by the aged in the economic life of the nation. We must challenge the assumption of an automatic use by date for mature age employees who often possess a rare blend of experience and wisdom. "

Mrs Bishop has approved funding for a range of research and conference activities on mature age employment for the International Year of Older Persons and as part of her own commitment to long term cultural change that will result in older people being valued for their continuing contribution to the community.

Don Edgar

Don Edgar is currently Adjunct Professor with the Centre for Workplace Culture Change, RMIT, Melbourne. He writes regularly for The Weekend Australian and has recently published Men, Mateship, Marriage with Harper Collins. Formerly Professor at the University of Chicago, Reader in Sociology at La Trobe University, and Foundation Director of the Australian Institute of Family Studies (for fourteen years), Dr. Edgar is one of Australia's leading experts on social trends and family policy.

Sol Encel

Sol Encel is Emeritus Professor at the University of New South Wales and Honorary Research Associate at the University's Social Policy Research Centre, since 1991. Professor Encel has been a member of the New South Wales Consultative Committee on Ageing since 1993.

Professor Encel's current and recent research has focused on two main areas: the ageing of the population and the increased role of non-government organisations in providing welfare services. At the end of 1998, he published a report analysing cases of age discrimination reported to the New South Wales Anti-Discrimination Board.

Graeme Hugo

Professor Hugo currently holds the position of Professor of the Department of Geographical and Environmental Studies and Director of the Key Centre in Research and Teaching in the Social Science Application of Geographic Information Systems at the University of Adelaide.

He is an acknowledged international expert in the area of geo-demographics as well as on Australian and Asian population issues. He has served on a number of Australian government population related committees as well as worked as a consultant to a wide range of international organisations.

James Juniper

James is a lecturer of Business at the University of South Australia. His research and policy work covers areas such as investment, corporate taxation, computable general equilibrium modelling, industry policy, industrial relations and public sector reform. As an academic he has published in the fields of commonwealth and state issues in public finance, unemployment policy, and management accounting. His current research focus is on the implications of uncertainty for finance theory and macroeconomics.

Adriana Vanden Heuvel

Adriana holds the position of Acting Deputy Director of National Institute of Labour Studies. She holds a PhD and a MA in Sociology from the University at North Carolina and a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Guelph (in Canada), and has over 15 years of experience in social research on employment related issues.

Adriana has published numerous articles, chapters and monographs. She is perhaps best known for her work on work and family issues, training, and disadvantaged groups in the labour market, but has undertaken research into many other areas including employment issues specific to the aged.

Neil Stevenson

Neil has national responsibility for Executive Search and Selection, HR strategy, and career Management/Transition Consulting within Business Consulting at Ernst & Young.

Neil spent the first 15 years of his professional life in a range of HR roles in both the private and public sectors. His key expertise covers Human Resource management, organisation development, career management and transition, organisation change management, employee development, HR management systems and executive search & selection. His current areas of professional interest include effectively managing the people needs of emerging growth companies, organisation culture and the future of work.

Mark Wooden

Mark has degrees in economics from both Flinders University and London School of Economics, and has almost 20 years experience in research and consultancy, all at the National Institute of Labour Studies (NILS). He is currently the Acting Director of NILS and is a Professor at Flinders University of South Australia.

Widely recognised as one of Australia's leading commentators on labour market developments, he has published widely. He is the author of three books, over 80 articles in academic journals, over 25 chapters in books, and countless reports and monographs.

Philippa Smith

Philippa Smith is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia. She was formerly Commonwealth Ombudsman. Philippa has had extensive experience in public policy and income security, dating back to her role as Senior Policy Officer with the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS).