National Care & Support Sector Conference 2026
The National Care & Support Sector Conference 2026 brings together leaders, advocates, policymakers, and sector professionals committed to shaping the future of care and support across Australia.
We are proud to welcome Richard Newman, Chief Executive Officer of Carers WA, as part of this year’s speaker lineup.
Across Australia, millions of unpaid carers quietly provide the support that keeps families, communities, and care systems functioning every day. They care for children with disability, support ageing parents, assist partners through illness, and carry responsibilities that often remain unseen by the broader community.
Yet despite the essential role carers play, many continue to face financial pressure, emotional exhaustion, workforce disruption, and limited access to meaningful support.
This is the reality Carers WA works to change.
Under Richard Newman’s leadership, Carers WA has continued to advocate for the recognition, rights, wellbeing, and inclusion of unpaid carers across Western Australia. His work focuses on ensuring that carers are not treated as an afterthought within the care system, but recognised as central to it.
Why This Conversation Matters
Australia’s care and support sector is facing increasing demand, workforce challenges, and growing complexity across aged care, disability support, mental health, and community services.
At the centre of these systems are carers.
Richard Newman brings an important perspective to the national conversation around:
Carer recognition, rights, and wellbeing
Supporting unpaid carers across Australia
Workforce sustainability and the future of care
Building systems that support carers and families holistically
Policy reform and long term sector resilience
Leadership grounded in advocacy and lived experience
The Future of Care Depends on Carers
Australia’s care system cannot function without unpaid carers.
As the sector continues to evolve, there is growing recognition that supporting carers is not only a social responsibility, but also essential to the long term sustainability of health, aged care, disability, and community systems.
This session will provide valuable insight into how leaders, organisations, and policymakers can create systems that better recognise, support, and empower carers across Australia.
Event Details
National Care & Support Sector Conference 2026
Join sector leaders, advocates, and professionals for an important national conversation about the future of care, support, workforce sustainability, and system reform.