Submissions

Ageing on the Edge NSW Pre-Budget Submission 2020-21

The Ageing on the Edge NSW Forum is a coali on of organisations working together towards housing justice for older people on low incomes.

Based on widespread consulta on with older people and the community sector in NSW, the Forum has adopted and promotes policy recommendations that are critical to addressing the needs of older people facing housing stress and homelessness.

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Evidence to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality & Safety - Housing and Homelessness

Fiona York, Executive Officer of Housing the for the Aged Action Group, gives evidence to The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality & Safety about the obstacles facing older people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to accessing Aged Care.

Submission to the Senate Committee for Community Affairs Inquiry into the Adequacy of Newstart and Related Payments

Our submission to the Inquiry into the Adequacy of Newstart and Related Payments calls on the government to immediately raise the rate of Newstart, abolish punitive and unrealistic mutual obligation requirements for people aged 55 and over, and invest in affordable housing as a matter of priority to prevent further homelessness amongst older people.

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Submission to Electricity Distribution Code Review

This submission is based on the experiences of our members and clients living in retirement housing, who have embedded networks in their villages.

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Recommendations for the Terms of Reference of the Aged Care Royal Commission- From HAAG's National Project

"For many years older people at risk of homelessness in the rental market have been discriminated against and severely neglected by the aged care system. The main factor that has caused this problem is a policy framework and aged care service practices that are based on the broad assumption that older people own their own home and, as assets based financial contributors, are more valued than older renters."

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Submission: Retirement Living Council Retirement Living Code of Conduct

This written submission is provided by Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), Residents of Retirement Villages Victoria (RRVV), Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) and COTA Victoria (COTA Vic). The need to address widespread problems in the retirement housing industry is long overdue. We welcome industry efforts to better protect and promote the rights and interests of older Australians who choose to live in retirement housing. We also generally support the
aim of the Draft Retirement Living Code of Conduct (the Code), which is to ‘improve accreditation standards and coverage, and to set and maintain high standards about the marketing, selling and operation of Retirement Communities’. However, we do not consider that the Code distributed by the Retirement Living Council (RLC) would achieve these aims or properly address resident concerns without significant amendments....

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HAAG's Submission to: Senate Economics Legislation Committee Treasury Laws Amendment (National Housing and Homelessness Agreement) Bill 2017

This submission focuses on the need for the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement Bill to acknowledge the dire circumstances facing an increasing ageing population that is facing a future of housing hardship due to successive government policies that have focused on private rental subsidies in Commonwealth Rent Assistance rather than much needed capital expenditure on public and community housing. This has created a long-term need for investment in public and community housing but also urgently put in place specialist early intervention homelessness support services to assist the thousands of older people experiencing hardship and at risk of homelessness in the private rental market.

Submission – Proposed amendments to retirement village fact sheets

Consumer Action (CALC), RRVV, HAAG and COTA Vic have provided feedback about the proposed amendments to retirement villages fact sheets.
The group do not oppose the proposed amendments to the fact sheets, but are concerned that this is not a good enough tool for protecting residents from entering into unfair contracts...

View the submission here

Remake of the Estate Agents (Professional Conduct) Regulations 2008

Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action), COTA Victoria and Housing for the Aged Action Group have made a joint submission in relation to the remake of the Estate Agents (Professional Conduct) Regulations 2008 (the Regulations).
View the submission here

 

Submission to Inquiry into the Public Housing Renewal Program

Housing for the Aged Action Group has responded to the call for submissions to the Victorian Inquiry into the Re-development of a number of public housing sites.

A number of recommendations are contained in the submission including the following:

  • Tenants must be consulted meaningfully. Each tenant should receive a letter inviting them to consultation about the process. Given that many tenants may speak languages other than English or have low-level literacy, these letters should be delivered by an individual who can then sit down with the tenant and a telephone interpreter if necessary to explain its content. Translated letters are not enough.
  • Advocates (non-DHHS) are employed to work with every tenant about their housing and relocation needs, including planning for the type of housing stock and the design of their new homes.
  • Tenants are moved into new stock that is built on the property- reducing disturbance such as having to relocate schools, find new health care providers etc.
  • Representatives of an independent advocacy service should be on-site on a daily basis and available to answer any questions tenants have
  • All new stock should be public housing.

The full Submission can found here

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