Leading New Zealand and Australian experts to judge ACA Excellence in Care Awards 2026

The search has begun for New Zealand’s most outstanding aged residential care professionals, with the Aged Care Association (ACA) today announcing an exceptional judging panel for the Individual Awards in the ACA Excellence in Care Awards 2026.

The ACA Excellence in Care Awards celebrate excellence across New Zealand’s aged residential care sector through two streams, recognising both outstanding individuals and facilities that are setting the benchmark for care, leadership and innovation.

The 2026 judging panel brings together respected leaders from aged care, hospice, health, research and public service from both New Zealand and Australia, ensuring nominations are assessed against the highest standards of excellence.

For the Careerforce Legendary Service to the Aged Care Sector Award, which recognises an individual whose sustained leadership and dedication has made a lasting contribution to aged residential care, the judges are:

• Tom Symondson, Chief Executive Officer, Ageing Australia
• Dame Annette King DNZM, former Deputy Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, Cabinet Minister and New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia
• Dr Judy Blakey MNZM, researcher, advocate for older New Zealanders and leader in ageing research and health informatics

For the Leecare Individual Award for Outstanding Solutions, recognising innovation that has significantly improved care, resident wellbeing or workforce practice, the judges are:

• Wayne Naylor, Chief Executive Officer, Hospice New Zealand
• Viv Allanson OAM, Chief Executive Officer, Gener8Care Australia and three-time Australian Game Changer of the Year 
• Julia Biggs, Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Oceania Healthcare, and winner of the 2025 ACA Excellence in Care Overall Award and ACA Sustainability Award

Dame Annette King said she was honoured to be part of the judging panel. “The quality of our aged care system is ultimately determined by the quality of the people who work within it. Recognising excellence encourages others to strive for the same high standards, and I am delighted to support these awards.”

All winners of the Individual and Facility Awards will become finalists for the EBOS Healthcare Overall Excellence in Care Award, the programme’s highest honour. The overall winner will be selected at the ACA Conference 2026 Gala Dinner by a distinguished panel comprising Wellington Mayor Andrew Little, EBOS Healthcare Aged Care Sales Manager  Lucy Millin, and ACA Chair Simon O’Dowd.

Nominations can be submitted via the ACA Conference awards portal: https://aca-conference-2026.eventsairsite.com/excellence-in-care-awards