Professor Irene Blackberry, the Director of Australia's first Care Economy Research Institute (CERI), is available to comment on the importance of the Care Economy following the release of the Intergenerational Report by Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Thursday, August 24.
The release of the report coincides with the official launch of CERI at La Trobe University on Thursday.
To arrange an interview with Professor Blackberry, contact the La Trobe media team: 0487 448 734
The following is attributable to Professor Blackberry:
“While the Intergenerational Report is sobering reading, what we need to address now is how the Federal Government addresses the challenges. The Care Economy, as it exists, is an unwieldy and expensive mix of multiple bodies and organisations, with too much duplication and little communication between the silos. What if we stopped silo-ing these areas and had a more cohesive overarching sector that could operate with less staff, less duplication and people could be paid more?
“La Trobe University’s Care Economy Research Institute is leading the solution to the problems. We are trialling innovations around care workforce, care delivery, care experience and care technology, including the use of AI, underpinned by the social, policy and economics of care, to intersect and synergise these separate care sectors.
“A partnership with industry, people with lived experience, providers, and wider stakeholders will ensure rapid adoption by the market. Innovations in one sector can be translated to all other sectors like early education and care, housing, aged care, health and the NDIS.”
About CERI
La Trobe University announced Australia’s first Care Economy Research Institute in May. It is aimed at improving health and wellbeing and driving the country’s economic growth by breaking down silos in the health and social care sectors.
CERI harnesses multi- and inter-disciplinary teams to build a system of care that is demonstrably more economically viable and sustainable, while ensuring dignity, respect, and cultural safety across the population.
About us:
