As the Assistant Secretary Aged Care Legislative Reform Branch with the Department of Health and Aged Care, Melanie Metz's team was responsible for managing the aged care legislative reform program, including delivery of the new Aged Care Act.
Only months before the Act is due to take effect, Metz is moving to the aged care regulator, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC), where she will be in the role of Deputy Commissioner, Sector Capability and Regulatory Strategy, helping to implement the new rights-based framework and regulatory model.
Metz has a Bachelor of Laws. She has 18 years' experience with the Commonwealth Public Service, including in aged care, the NDIS, social security, family assistance, Medicare, and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
She was also instrumental in designing and delivering the legislation and negotiating the referral of powers from the States to the Commonwealth in establishing the National Redress Scheme in 2018, which helps people who experienced child sexual abuse while in an institution access support.
Metz is not the first architect of the aged care reforms to be shifting roles just as the changes take effect.
In the last few months, The SOURCE has reported:
- Michael Lye, former Deputy Secretary, Ageing and Aged Care has been promoted to the role of Secretary of the Department of Social Services,
- Nick Morgan, former Assistant Secretary, Support at Home Reform, will move to the role of Primary Care and Workforce Reviews Taskforce with the Department of Health and Aged Care, and
- Fay Flevaras, former First Assistant Secretary Digital Transformation & Delivery – Aged Care Reform, has been promoted to be the Department's Chief Digital Information Officer.