COTA exists to protect and promote the well-being of all older people. It works as an advocate for older Australians by providing information, referral and advice, and publications, by conducting research, policy analysis, and seminars, by liaising with governments, by undertaking consultation and by representation. At a national level, COTA develops policy and promotes older people's views, in particular in the areas of health, housing, residential care, retirement income, community services, age discrimination and attitudes toward ageing. COTA publishes newsletters, directories, reports and policy papers at the State and Territory level and at the national level publishes Strategic Ageing, ReportAge , and the Australian Journal on Ageing jointly with the Australian Association of Gerontology and the Australian Society for Geriatric Medicine. It is a coalition of partnerships between older people in Australia and other countries, organisations of older people, community, business, government and other organisations which include interests of both younger and older people.
Membership consists of partner organisations which operate at a national level.
As at June 1997 there were 27 partner organisations. The partners have established a National Coordinating Committee to plan Australia's involvement in the International Year of Older Persons in 1999. Coordinating committees have also been convened at State level. The National Seniors Association was formed in 1976 in Queensland, originally as Later Years. National Seniors' major objectives are to provide benefits to its members, to represent the concerns of its members to government and to make donations to assist the ageing.