Policy and Information

Policy analysis and development is one of COTA (Australia)'s major roles as the peak consumer organisation for older people. It informs on all our activities, and our work in providing information and advice to the Commonwealth Government about issues important to older people. This information is based on consultation with older people, and research.

For more detail on the policy process see:

•  the foreword to all policy submissions, titled The work of Council on the Ageing;
•  a May 1999 paper Outline of key concepts, terms, ideas and processes related to policy and policy change,
•  a 1997 speech by the President.

Outcomes of Policy Work

Some of the outcomes of our policy work are as listed here.

Media releases and Press articles (Read the full text)

ReportAge - COTA's bimonthly policy and parliamentary bulletin.

Strategic Ageing - Occasional series on policy issues of importance to older people, for example COTA's Commonwealth Budget submissions.

Policy submissions

Publications list

Speeches and journal articles

Meriel Wilmot Library

Started in 1983, the library suports COTA's role as a peak organisation in monitoring the effectiveness of policies and services affecting older people, and in representing their needs to Government, service providers and the public.

The library's main collection strength is English language publications in social gerontology, particularly Australian public policy. Overseas texts and reports are also obtained by COTA's contacts with international organisations and review copies received for Australasian Journal on Ageing from publishers world-wide.

Major subject areas include ageing and aged care services, housing and residential care, health policy and services, home care and community services, retirement income and superannuation, pharmaceuticals, employment and age discrimination, elder abuse, death, grief and palliative care, lifestyle and well-being issues.

Services are provided primarily to COTA staff at the national and state offices, and also to government, aged care service providers and users, academics and researchers. It is only available to external visitors by appointment. There are some charges for non-COTA users. Services include reference, interlibrary loans, DBTextworks database searches, bibliographies and current awareness lists, Internet access, photocopying, project consultancy.

Tle library publishes a continually updated guide titled Reference information on older people - an annotated list of bibliographies, worldwide directories, indexes, databases and journals, key Australian texts on policy and family assistance, Australian series and statistics. It includes details of cost and availability.

Another bibliography available from September 2002 is Older people, information and communications technology: recent material in COTA (Australia) library

Contact Helen Scott, Information Manager, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays at:

Council on the Ageing (Australia)
Level 2, 3 Bowen Crescent
Melbourne Vic 3004
Tel (03) 9820 2655 Fax (03) 9820 9886
email cota@cota.org.au

Helen Scott, COTA NS Information Manager and Web person

Presentation by Helen Scott - Librarians who evolved: A panel discussion organised by the Vic Specials committee, 21 November, the Bailleu Library, University of Melbourne

Top of Page

---