Sydney, Australia
Anglicare Sydney’s incoming CEO, Simon Miller, has a vision to raise the Australian Christian charity’s profile and increase its involvement in social housing.
The organisation, which has an annual turnover of $A400 million and employs more than 4,000 people alongside a team of around 1,800 volunteers, has operated across the Anglican Diocese of Sydney for more than 160 years.
Simon Miller, incoming CEO of Anglicare Sydney. PICTURE: Supplied.
Miller, who will take the reins from incumbent Grant Millard on 7th February, 2022, says he wants to continue the stewardship of Anglicare Sydney, and “look after what Godly people have built over many, many years”.
“In terms of the future, I think that there’s a lot of opportunity for Anglicare to really deepen what it does in the area of seniors living, expanding the work more in the way of home care – more services for older people – in particular older people who are less fortunate,” he said.
But as chair of Mission Australia Housing, a role he will now have to relinquish, he will bring his passion for the security social and affordable housing brings to people’s lives to his new role.
“I am really quite passionate about social and affordable housing; it’s an area I’ve worked in [and] I currently chair Mission Australia Housing, so I’ve seen the power that social and affordable housing can have in changing peoples lives – secure housing. I think Anglicare has done something in this space, but nowhere near as much as the potential.”
Miller is also keen to see how Anglicare could further demonstrate Jesus’ love in the community.
“As people look away from traditional church structures, Anglicare has a unique voice and a unique place to be able to speak the love of Jesus into the life of the city, in a way that other organisations can’t.”
Anglicare Sydney offers a number of social services, from retirement living and aged care, cross-cultural services for migrants and refugees, foster care and adoption, mental health programs, Op Shops and food and financial services.
Miller says the organisation impacts “tens and tens of thousands” of lives every year, but more than a million Australians received care from a Christian charity in some form or another.
“That’s a lot of people, in a lot of need,” Miller told Sight. “Since the very first days of the church being in Australia, Christian charities have played a role in extending care to people. In fact, it’s been a mark of the Christian church right [back to] Pentecost. The very next thing you see is the Christian church proving care to the disadvantaged and the vulnerable.
“Organisations like Anglicare play an absolutely crucial role in ensuring the social fabric of this nation for justice and mercy.”
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In 2020, 19 residents of Newmarch House, one of Anglicare’s aged care homes, died during an outbreak of COVID-19.
An independent review in August that year by Professor Lyn Gilbert AO and Adjunct Professor Alan Lilly concluded “Anglicare spared no effort or expense in responding to one of the most significant crises to occur in the history of residential aged care in Australia”.
Miller says internal research shows Anglicare remains trustworthy in the eyes of the community.
“As I understand it, the research suggests that Anglicare is still trusted and well-known and well-regarded. Obviously, the entire aged care sector in Australia went through an awful time with COVID-19 [and with the Aged Care Royal Commission] and that has caused a lot of people to look at organisations and question their role.”
But he said Anglicare’s reputation as an organisation that provides care and love and service is strong.
“I am keen to do more. I am keen for Anglicare to have a bigger role – a more prominent role – within the community; to be well-known, well- regarded beyond Anglican circles,” he said.
“Obviously there are lessons for the whole aged care sector coming out of the last few years that need to be learned and applied. I think Anglicare is in a very good place to do that and I am very keen to see the organisation put itself out there as a leading organisation in this space.”
Miller holds a Masters of Business Administration from the Australian Graduate School of Management, and a Masters of Public Affairs and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney.
He is currently studying a Master of Divinity through Ridley College and continues to hold roles within private Christian boys school Trinity Grammar as well as the City to City Australia organisation.
