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.