Advances in science and medical research and public health policies have meant that life expectancy for Australians is one of the highest in the world.
Ageing means a loss of a number of skills over time.
And I believe that the best buy in public health today must be a combination of regular physical exercise and a healthy diet.
At the last census it indicated that about 22 per cent of Australians were born overseas.
Australia has an increasingly multicultural society.
Australia is already a world leader in dementia research, treatment and care.
Community care is a fundamental, an essential, an enduring part of our aged care system.
Dementia is not exclusively a problem of the developed world.
Greater public recognition will also be critical in encouraging prevention and early intervention, and more generally in building public support to meet the challenges of dementia.
It is a fact that governments tend to put in place policies and strategies in response to current scenarios.
It is estimated that there are around 176,000 Australians living with some form of dementia - almost the total population of the Northern Territory.
Our cultural diversity has most certainly shaped our national character.
Prevention is one of the few known ways to reduce demand for health and aged care services.
Synergy and serendipity often play a big part in medical and scientific advances.
The strongest initiative that government can take to ensure Australia is prepared for population ageing, is to maintain a strong economy, and a secure nation.
This approach reflects the fact that ageing issues will affect every member of the national community, old and young alike.
Today it has been estimated that the average 70 year old has four chronic conditions and consumes an average of 35 PBS scripts per year for those conditions.
We are already seeing older people wanting greater choice in how, when and where they receive care.
We are increasingly recognising and accepting, respecting and celebrating, our cultural diversity.
We have a decreasing birthrate, although there are attempts to stem that trend, and we have an increasing life expectancy.
We have, after all, an ageing population, and dementia is generally a condition of ageing, in that the risk increases with age.
We know that so many of the conditions and diseases that we associate with ageing can often be prevented or in fact their onset delayed if we just took preventative steps earlier in our lives.
We know we are entering a period of transformation in aged care.
We preserve the status quo, preserve existing systems.
When the Australian Government looked at how to meet the challenges, and the opportunities, presented by our ageing population, it saw that an all-encompassing approach was a prerequisite.
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