For Purpose Investment Partners funds SDA development for Anglican Church on Sydney's Northern Beaches

Georgie Dent and Rob Stokes call for funding tied to quality and long-term settings that let institutional investors back social infrastructure

15 September 2026 - Australia cannot fix its early learning and housing shortfalls without stable policy and sophisticated models that draw private capital into social infrastructure, two of the country's leading advocates told an audience of investors and sector leaders in Sydney last week.

The Parenthood Chief Executive Officer Georgie Dent and Anglicare Sydney Group Executive, Housing and Chief Advocacy Officer Rob Stokes joined For Purpose Investment Partners (FPIP) Founder and Executive Chair Michael Traill for the panel discussion Purpose at Scale: Why social infrastructure investment is critical to our country's future. The event at Yirranma Place, Darlinghurst, on Thursday 10 September marked the launch of FPIP's Impact Report 2026.

Ms Dent said the way Australia funds and delivers early education and care has driven the problems families face today.

"Most families in Australia confront at least one of three barriers. Is there a place available where they live? Is there a place they trust is reliably high quality? Is it affordable? In the best case scenario at the moment, families get one of those," Ms Dent said.

She told the audience that more than 70% of long day care is now delivered by large for-profit providers, that around one in four Australians live in a childcare desert, and that the latest Australian Early Development Census shows almost half of children arrive at school developmentally vulnerable.

"If the early education and care isn't high quality, it's actually terrible for children. Without fundamental reform and a commitment to change how we fund and deliver early education and care, these problems will continue.

"We have to have sophisticated policy options that actually leverage some of the capital that we have in this country with some of the objectives that we have for the country," Ms Dent said.

Mr Stokes, a former New South Wales Minister for Planning, Education and Housing, said governments spend around 1% of their budgets on housing, against 16% to 28% on health and education.

"When you look at Maslow's hierarchy, shelter is right at the bottom. If you provide housing, that saves government money on health and on education," Mr Stokes said.

"Government cannot do it alone. But equally, we can't have policy instability. Once you learn how to do something, just keep doing it and provide that certainty. We take Medicare for granted now. We need a similar approach for housing."

Mr Traill said the discussion reflected FPIP's experience as investors in aged care, skills education, disability services and specialist disability accommodation, where policy and funding settings shape what capital can achieve.

"Our belief is simple. Long-dated investors who hold these assets over the long term, and who aim to make a difference to quality of life, can make a real difference and drive risk-weighted, institutional-grade returns," Mr Traill said.

"Government funding incentives need to be tied far more explicitly to quality outcomes. Where the pricing signals are sensible, as they are in specialist disability accommodation, mainstream capital follows. That precedent is how we get to scale in the sectors Australia needs most."

FPIP's Impact Report 2026, Meaningful Momentum, is the organisations fourth annual report. It shows more than 10,650 Australians received care, housing, meals or training in the past year from a business FPIP owns or invests in. The not-for-profit fund manager holds $200 million in committed capital across four platforms and is now assessing opportunities in early childhood education and care, and social and affordable housing. FPIP uses the evidence from its portfolio to advocate for change across the social services system.

The report is available at https://www.fpinvest.com.au/impact

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The For Purpose Investment Partners skills education platform, Catalyst Education, has begun trading as For Purpose Education. The transition began on 1 July 2026 and brings the business into closer alignment with the wider For Purpose group.

A name that reflects the mission

FPIP invested in Catalyst Education in 2021 to build a not-for-profit skills education platform and strengthen the pipeline of skilled carers, educators, and support professionals that Australia needs. The new name states that purpose plainly. It also connects the business more visibly to the other organisations we back across aged care, disability support, and community services.

The rebrand changes the name and the look of the business. Its strategy, leadership, and commitment to quality training remain exactly as they were.

The same trusted training organisations

For Purpose Education operates three Registered Training Organisations (RTOs): Selmar Institute of Education, Practical Outcomes, and ARC Training. Together they deliver accessible, industry-relevant training across early childhood education and care, aged care, disability support, health and community services, and business.

In the 2025 financial year (FY25), the business supported 4,100 learners across four states and territories. Of these, 56% were based in regional and remote locations, and 85% of completed learners improved their employment position, compared with an industry average of 65%.

Why this matters

Australia faces a critical shortfall of care workers. Training providers that keep pace with the needs of employers, learners, and communities are central to closing that gap. For Purpose Education has a clear role to play, and we are confident the business is well positioned to grow its contribution.

No change for learners and partners

Nothing changes for enrolled learners, employers, or industry partners. Trainers, support arrangements, partnerships, and funding arrangements all continue as they are.

What comes next

The For Purpose Education website is now live at fpeducation.com.au.

We congratulate the For Purpose Education team on this milestone and look forward to the next chapter.

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23 June 2026 - FP Ability is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Powell as Chief Executive Officer of specialised meal delivery businesses Able Foods and Tender Loving Cuisine (TLC). Mark will commence in the role on 3 August 2026.

Mark brings more than 20 years of senior executive experience in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. His expertise spans sales, marketing, procurement, and supply chain. He joins FP Ability from NAFDA, where he served as General Manager Australia and New Zealand. In that role he drove growth, integrated new markets, and managed operations for the member-owned cooperative.

Throughout his career, Mark has scaled businesses, led high-performing teams, and built enduring customer relationships. His focus on consultative planning and his commitment to business development position him well to lead FP Ability through its next phase of growth.

'Mark's experience scaling businesses in the FMCG sector, combined with his alignment to our mission, makes him the right leader for FP Ability at this stage of its growth,' said Rob Blackwell, Executive Chair of FP Ability. 'Able Foods and TLC provide safe, nutritious meals to older Australians and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants every day. Mark understands both the commercial discipline and the social purpose that sit at the heart of these businesses. We look forward to working with him as we continue to grow their impact across the aged care and disability sectors.'

'I am delighted to join FP Ability and to lead two businesses that make a real difference to people's lives every day,' said Mark. 'Able Foods and TLC have strong foundations and committed teams. I look forward to working with them to innovate, broaden what we offer, and reach more of the clients who rely on us.'

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