Publications

Get ready for the Winter edition of Older Tenants Voice, covering HAAGs many events and projects across all forms of older peoples housing

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A fixed rental price must be advertised at the time a property is put up for rent. This advertised rate would act as a ceiling. Older people are already struggling to find affordable housing in an extremely competitive housing market. They are unlikely to be able to bid higher on properties on a limited income.

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The Victorian Government’s efforts to address homelessness among older people, particularly women, are welcome, but more needs to be done.

New census data shows that over the last ten years, the housing circumstances for people aged 55 years and older in Victoria have gotten worse. This report is based on original research conducted for Housing for the Aged Action Group by researchers at Swinburne University of Technology, Western Sydney University and Curtin University.

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The rate of JobSeeker needs to be increased for all recipients, not just some. While we welcome the Federal Government’s acknowledgement of the ageism that places additional pressure on older workers, leaving under 55s languishing well below the poverty line is not the way forward.

HAAG welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality. This submission is based on our experience delivering housing and related support services to older women, research and lived experiences of older women experiencing housing stress or homelessness in Australia. We especially acknowledge the contributions to this submission made by members of HAAG’s advisory groups including National Alliance for Seniors Housing (NASH), Retirement Accommodation Action Group (RAAG), LGBTQIA+ reference group, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) reference group and NSW Lived Experience Advocacy Group (LEAG).

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Its a bumper edition of Older Tenants Voice, with lots of member events, news, opinions, and opportunities to get involved.

Read the latest edition of Older Tenants Voice

Seven New South Wales independent candidates and MPs are calling on the incoming state government to address homelessness among older people by introducing a specialist housing support service for older people, lowering the priority age from 80 years, and building more social and affordable housing.

 

HAAG recommends to increase social housing stock, income support, engagement with communities affected by poverty, to address systemic gender inequality, develop a national agenda for older people and a implement a nationally consistent construction code to make housing accessible and adaptable to climate change.

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The number of people older than 55 living in private rentals in Queensland increased by 71% over the past decade, according to new analysis of the 2021 Census released today.
 

New census data shows that over the last ten years, the housing circumstances for people aged 55 years and older in Queensland have gotten worse. This report is based on original research conducted for Housing for the Aged Action Group by researchers at Swinburne University of Technology, Western Sydney University and Curtin University.

Read the Report

New census data shows that over the last ten years, the housing circumstances for people aged 55 years and older in NSW have gotten worse. This report is based on original research conducted for Housing for the Aged Action Group by researchers at Swinburne University of Technology, Western Sydney University and Curtin University.

Read the report

Older people in New South Wales waiting for social housing were dealt a blow today, with the NSW Government failing to support a recommendation by one of its own inquires that the priority age for social housing be lowered.

There is ample evidence to demonstrate that the Aged Care service systems are not adequately meeting the needs of older people, especially those retiring into poverty, or experiencing housing or homelessness issues. Considering this, there is a clear need to ensure the rights of those who are experiencing additional challenges or are likely to experience disadvantage should be core part of a new Inspector-General’s role.

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Our final newsletter for 2022 looks at some of the major changes happening to the ACH and ACSN programs in 2023, welcomes our new Chairperson Pam Young as well including as lots of light hearted end-of-year content.

Read the Summer Edition of Older Tenants Voice here

In August 2022, the Residential Tenancies Commissioner and HAAG co-hosted a residential parks roundtable (the roundtable) to hear from residents in Victoria about their experiences of living in residential parks.  Approximately 70 residents from residential parks across Victoria joined the meeting, which was co-chaired by the Commissioner and HAAG’s Executive Officer. Staff from HAAG, the Department of Justice and Community Safety, and the Office of the Commissioner for Senior Victorians assisted with note taking and facilitating breakout discussions.

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More Victorians than ever before are approaching and entering retirement without owning their home, according to analysis of the 2021 Census commissioned by Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) and undertaken by researchers at Swinburne University of Technology, Western Sydney University and Curtin University.

Our Annual Report showcases the work of HAAG, broken down into our four pillars of Changing Lives by providing services, Changing the System through our advocacy, Honouring our Heritage through elevating the voices of older people, and Strengthening our Organisation through sound governance.

Read the 2021-22 Annual Report

 

The draft of proposed amendments to the Retirement Villages Act bill fails to address many concerns raised by and on behalf of residents, in particular around management standards and fairer fees. The bill allows the most exploitative and predatory operators to continue to operate according to ‘churn’ business models where they are incentivised to maintain high turnover rates by systematically pressuring residents to leave once their exit fees reach their maximum value. The bill abandons the concept of a rights-based framework in favour of vague unenforceable ‘principles’. Overall, the bill simply fails to address serious public concerns about exploitative business practices in the retirement village industry, much less the concerns expressed by the many residents who have made submissions to this review.

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It’s hard to see how the Federal Government’s plan to address Australia’s housing crisis, including its new accord with the states and territories, will help older people without a home.

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