COTA Victoria & Seniors Rights Victoria

05/10/2026

"Public transport is a lifeline for many older Victorians," our CEO, Ben Rogers, told The Age. "It's the glue that holds and brings their lives together."

We support any measures to make trams, trains, and buses safer and more accessible for the older Victorians who use them to remain connected, independent, and autonomous within their communities.

The 78-year-old, who suffered a broken pelvis, was left to call her own ambulance from the footpath because trams must return to the depot immediately after a serious incident.

05/10/2026

"It's a really simple change."

Speaking with ABC Australia Victorian Drive's Prue Bentley, our CEO Ben Rogers explains what can be done to ensure that no older Victorian loses their only recognised photo identification when surrendering their driver’s licence for medical reasons.

Learn more through our full media release: https://cotavic.org.au/news/media-release/give-up-your-licence-not-your-identity-government-urged-to-protect-older-victorians-from-losing-photo-id-when-they-stop-driving/

03/10/2026

Rain, hail, or shine -- but preferably, the latter -- we're ready for the Celebration Day!

See you from 11 (and there's plenty of room in our tents to get out of the rain and have a chat!)!

02/10/2026

We're kicking off our efforts with Celebration Day this Saturday at Melbourne's Federation Square!

Join COTA Victoria, Seniors Rights Victoria, and a number of other sector bodies and community groups as we connect, create, and celebrate with older Victorians.

Learn more about Celebration Day here: https://cotavic.org.au/event/celebration-day-2026/

Access our full events calendar here: https://cotavic.org.au/events

01/10/2026

COTA Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria have produced a new guide titled "Your vote counts" to alert older Victorians to new arrangements to support voting accessibility in the upcoming Victorian state election on 28 November 2026.

Our newest resource is not about who to vote for -- but rather, when, where, and how to cast your vote. Additional guides will be released ahead of November's election.

Access our guide using the link below.

COTA Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria have produced this guide to alert older Victorians to new arrangements to support voting accessibility in the upcoming Victorian state election on 28 November 2026.

30/09/2026

HAPPY VICTORIAN SENIORS FESTIVAL!

Celebrating its forty-third year, the returns in October 2026 with a fabulous month-long program full of free or low cost events and activities.

This major state-wide festival is spearheaded by the Victorian Government, and is bolstered by all of Victoria’s 79 local councils alongside community, groups, clubs, and organisations including COTA Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria.

Learn more here: https://cotavic.org.au/our-programs/victorian-seniors-festival/

30/09/2026

Our CEO, Ben Rogers, will appear on ABC Statewide Drive at 4.05pm today to discuss photo identification safeguarding for older Victorians. You can tune in to the program here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/live/melbourne

Together with Barwon Community Legal Service, we're asking for low-cost, high-impact reform to address this important issue.

Learn more and join a campaign that brings this issue front-of-mind to MPs, journalists, and communities here: https://www.barwoncommunitylegal.org.au/photoid-campaign/

30/09/2026

Barwon Community Legal Service, COTA Victoria & Seniors Rights Victoria are calling on the Victorian Government to ensure that no older Victorian loses their only recognised photo identification when surrendering their driver’s licence for medical reasons.

"For many people, giving up driving is already one of the hardest transitions of later life. Under the current system, it can also mean losing your only form of government-issued photo ID,” said our CEO, Ben Rogers. “Many older Victorians don’t realise that surrendering their licence cancels their primary form of identification until it’s too late."

Read our full media release here: https://cotavic.org.au/news/media-release/give-up-your-licence-not-your-identity-government-urged-to-protect-older-victorians-from-losing-photo-id-when-they-stop-driving/

29/09/2026

COTA Victoria and Seniors Rights Victoria offer FREE individual membership to those who'd like to support our advocacy initiatives.

Best yet, newly approved members will receive a free welcome pack consisting of a tote bag, water bottle, notebook, and pen while stocks last!

Learn more about what our members can access, and apply today, here: https://bttr.im/x96sv

28/09/2026

In today's episode of , Golden Days Radio GDR 95.7fm’s Peter Thomas and COTA Victoria's Steve Wright discuss the Victorian Seniors Festival 2026.

COTA Conversations airs fortnightly on Golden Days Radio, 95.7 fm, on Mondays at 10.15 am as part of Monday Afternoon with Peter Thomas. It's available as an on-demand podcast following the broadcast.

🔗🔗 LINKS🔗🔗
- Learn more about the festival, and access our events calendar as well as the larger Victorian Government events calendar here: https://cotavic.org.au/our-programs/victorian-seniors-festival/
- COTA Conversations on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/cota-conversations/id1679272877
- COTA Conversations on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5oib0tPTQX93LBTDpBk2Fe
- COTA Conversations RSS feed: https://anchor.fm/s/dd201970/podcast/rss

The Victorian Seniors Festival 2026 focusses on providing fun and good times with opportunities to participate in events throughout October.