Residential Aged Care Workshop

DATE: 10 June 2026

TIME: 9:30AM (for a 10:00AM commencement of proceedings) – 2:00PM

LOCATION:
UNSW CBD Campus 
Level 4, 210 George St, Sydney NSW 2000
Seminar Room 401

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS

• Michael Sherris | CEPAR, UNSW
• Jessica Evans | Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
• Tim Hicks | Bolton Clarke
• Shane Keating | Housing Industry Association
• Bei Lu | CEPAR, UNSW

AGENDA

JOHN PIGGOTT AO FASSA is Scientia Professor of Economics at UNSW Business School and Director of the UNSW Centre for Population Ageing Research (CEPAR). A leading authority on retirement, pension economics and public finance, his work is widely published in top international journals. He has advised governments globally, including a long-term collaboration with Japan on ageing policy. He has held visiting positions at institutions such as the Wharton School and held a Rockefeller Residency in 2018. He has played key roles in international initiatives on ageing, including co-chairing the Think20 Task Force on Ageing during Japan’s G20 presidency, and as a Commissioner on the US National Academy of Medicine’s global roadmap on healthy longevity.  In Australia, he was a member of the Henry Tax Review Panel (2008-9) and the Australian Ministerial Superannuation Advisory Committee (2007-2011). At UNSW Sydney, he has held senior leadership roles including Head of School, Associate Dean (Research) and Interim Dean, and is the recipient of multiple awards, including the 2024 UNSW Business School Lifetime Achievement Award for Impact.

MICHAEL SHERRIS is Emeritus Professor in the School of Risk and Actuarial Studies at UNSW Sydney and a Lead Investigator at CEPAR. His research focuses on ageing, retirement systems, longevity risk, and the financial sustainability of aged‑care and retirement income arrangements. A Fellow of the Actuaries Institute Australia, the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (UK), and the Society of Actuaries (North America), he is widely recognised for his contributions to actuarial research, education, policy, and the broader risk and insurance profession.

JESSICA EVANS is the A/g First Assistant Secretary of the Aged Care Market and Stewardship Division at the Department of Health Disability and Aged Care. She leads a nationally dispersed team working to strengthen aged care market oversight, sustainability and performance, by using data, financial insights and market intelligence to support major system reform. Jessica brings extensive APS experience, including senior roles in central and social policy agencies and is recognised for translating evidence into clear, practical advice for government and industry stakeholders. 

TIM HICKS is Bolton Clarke’s Executive General Manager for Policy and External Relations and a leading expert in aged care policy. He joined Bolton Clarke in 2023 after leading policy and advocacy for the aged care sector through COVID-19 and the Royal Commission, including directing the It’s Still Time to Care About Aged Care campaign in 2022. His work focuses on the effectiveness and efficiency of aged care services, funding and regulatory reform, and trends in residential and community aged care. He was also closely involved in consultations on the redesign of aged care funding and regulation. Before specialising in aged care, Tim worked across a range of industries, including as Head of Economics for Australia’s largest business association and as a consultant to Treasury and other government agencies on regulatory reform and data policy.

SHANE KEATING comes with over 25 years in the construction industry with qualifications and practical experience in residential, commercial building, heritage restoration, project management and economics. Shane’s involvement with building codes and standards began, managing technical projects, revising and determining standards and overseeing code development with the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB). As Director - Impact Analysis, he oversaw the preparation of economic analysis of NCC changes and was responsible for ensuring the Board met its best practice regulation obligations for major initiatives including numerous life safety, disability, plumbing, commercial and residential energy efficiency changes.  As Executive Director Building Policy with HIA, Shane leads HIA’s national policy development on emerging issues for both building and plumbing leading responses to government proposals for issues as diverse as net zero, accessibility, building quality, modern methods of construction to standards and code adequacy.

BEI LU is a Research Project Manager at CEPAR, UNSW Business School and a Research Fellow with Tsinghua University and Zhejiang University in China. Her work focuses on ageing, retirement policy, and aged care, with a strong emphasis on policy and industry impact. She has led major international collaborations, including chairing the 4th International Nursing Home Directors Conference in 2018, and has undertaken consultancy work for the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and United Nations. Her research has been published in leading journals including The Lancet Public Health, World Development, and Economic Modelling.