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In 2021, Housing for the Aged Action Group extended its housing information service for older people to the Goulburn Valley region of Central Victoria, providing information and advice on housing options and practical support for older people at risk of homelessness. Despite floods, COVID-19, heatwaves and fires, a small team of local women have assisted over 91 older people at risk of homelessness to find housing. This video tells their story.

We provided evidence to the Inquiry that,  increasing numbers of older people in regional Victoria do not own their own homes and they find themselves facing the real and frightening prospect of homelessness in older age. Older people in regional Victoria are facing a significant and growing housing crisis that has serious impacts on their health and
wellbeing, and this limits their ability to access aged care supports – it is very difficult to be able to access in-home care if you do not have a stable house. We desperately need more homes for low-income older Victorians and the best way to do that is by investing in public and community housing and low-cost retirement housing. 

Read the full transcript of evidence here

We wanted to take a moment to thank all of you, our members, for the work that you did in the lead up to the election. Sending letters to candidates, meeting members of Parliament, speaking up about older people’s housing. It is your voices and the stories we hear every day from our clients that makes our advocacy powerful.
 

HAAG welcomes the Prime Minister’s election night commitments to ensuring that ‘no-one is left behind’, and to ‘looking after older Australians’. One of the most effective foundations to achieve this will be to ensure that everyone has a secure home they can afford. Distressingly, increasing numbers of older people are prevented from achieving this basic human need. They are at risk of homelessness, or are going without food, essential medications, heating and cooling, and healthcare just to keep a roof over their head.

After decades of campaigning for safe, secure and affordable housing for older people, the housing crisis is finally getting the attention it deserves in this election campaign. Labor, the Coalition and the Greens are all vying to woo voters with pledges they claim will improve the affordability of housing. HAAG is pleased that housing has been such a prominent issue in the election, but we are deeply disappointed that that the unprecedented housing crisis facing older people has not been addressed.

In the lead up to the next Federal Election which will be called in 2025, there is real momentum for change to address older person's homelessness across the country. Our voices are powerful and the housing crisis gripping Australia will be a key election issue.

We encourage you to contact your local federal representative and other local candidates to request meetings to talk about the issue of older person's homelessness and what needs to change. Local members are often keen to meet their constituents, especially when there is an upcoming election. They are interested in local concerns and with the right information, encouragement and clear recommendations, you can be a champion for older people and their housing issues.

Find out more about how you can get involved 

Housing for the Aged Action Group calls the government’s Retirement Villages Act Amendments Bill, released today after a five-year consultation period, a “mixed bag” that includes important improvements for residents but leaves some major areas of concern inadequately addressed.

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