Housing for the Aged Action Group

Fiona talks to Margaret Kelly, long-time public housing resident of Barack Beaconsfield estate in Port Melbourne which has recently and unexpectedly been slated for "renewal" by the State Government. Shocked residents are fighting back about what they see as the destruction of their close-knit community to make way for gentrification of the area.

Katelyn Butters, CEO of Victorian Public Tenants Association, talks about the Social Housing Regulation Interim Report and what the implications are for public and community housing tenants.Gemma White, Early Intervention Worker at HAAG, talks about how people can get involved in lobbying their MPs and candidates for the upcoming Federal ElectionSocial Housing Regulation Interim ReportFederal Election Advocacy Tool Kit

Shane and Fiona interview Joan Doyle and Maureen Donnelly about housing activism in the 1970's and 1980's, where groups of people took direct action for housing justice, including squatting empty government housing, protesting at Parliament and lots of other creative forms of action. A great insight into the early days of HAAG and testimony to the change that can happen through people "standing on their two legs" to take their housing rights

We pay tribute to our long-time member Richard Tate who sadly passed away late last year, and play a short clip from his talk to the Unitarian Church about the importance of public housing. We hear from panellists who spoke at last year's At Risk Forum about local solutions to older women's homelessness. First we hear from Erin Dolan, Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation, about the foundations Affordable Housing Challenge funding. Then we hear from Rebecca Oelkers, CEO of the Brisbane Housing Company about their older women's housing project. The panel is hosted by Dr Kate Raynor from Melbourne University.You can watch the complete video of the panel here

Shane, Fiona and Pam discuss the year that was, with very little mention of the pandemic, but lots of talk about housing for older people. The show includes some great clips from previous episodes.Mentioned in the show was:David Kelly article about "vulture landlords"https://overland.org.au/2021/12/vulture-landlords-and-the-justice-washing-of-housing-struggle/ Public Housing Watchhttps://map.savepublichousing.com/Social Security Rights https://www.ssrv.org.au/

Fiona and Shane talk to Peter Sibly, General Manager of United Housing Co-operative, about his new project to build housing for women aged 55 years and older in the Western Suburbs, with a grant from the Victorian Governments Big Housing Build. He talks about co-operative housing as a model for tenant participation and reminisces about the early days of HAAG.

Shane and Fiona talk to HAAG's new regional workers Teresa and Sheryn about our Shepparton project, expanding the Home at Last service into the Goulburn Valley

Fiona and Shane chat to Stephanie Agius about her new role as "system navigator" at HAAG, and about how she can help you find out what you may be entitled to under the Aged Care system.We also talk about the upcoming AGM and the Federal ElectionTo get in contact with Steph, you can email navigator@oldertenants.org.au or go to our website https://www.oldertenants.org.au/i-need-help/help-navigating-aged-care

Older Women, Housing and Family Violence Panel - At Risk 2021 Forum. Jess Hill, author and journalist, convenes a panel discussion with Lived Experience Advocate. Suzanah-Jo Day, Nemat Kharboutli of Muslim Women Australia, and Jocelyn Bignold of McAuley Community Services for Women.You can see the whole panel, including the questions from audience members at https://youtu.be/sLCVGWsu3dg

The At Risk 2021 forum Influencing for Change panel discussion heard about what works and doesnt work in trying to achieve change.  In this exerpt, we hear from Kate Colvin from the Everybody's Home Campaign, Kirsten Deane from the Melbourne Disability Institute about how they got the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and Anna Brown about the Marriage Equality fight.  You can see the entire panel discussion, including Alistair Webster from Building Better Homes, and the questions and answers here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klNrZ9XUGmI