Publications

Draft National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 Submission

HAAG and Older Womens Network NSW's input into the Draft National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032. We provide recommendations to adress domestic violence, elder abuse and homelessness amongst older women. This submission is endorsed by Domestic Violence NSW (DVNSW).

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Federal Election 2022: Demands for Action

With a decline in home ownership at retirement age, unprecedented increases in housing prices and a reduction in social and affordable housing stock in Australia, older people are  experiencing significant housing challenges and are at increased risk of homelessness. Older women are the fastest growing cohort of people experiencing homelessness in Australia.

This document outlines the urgent policy reforms that are required by the Federal Government.

PDF icon Read our policy demands for the 2022 Federal Election

 

Submission to Victorian Social Housing Regulation Review: Interim Report

HAAG supports an explicit objective in the regulatory system to protect and safeguard the interests of current, prospective and future tenants. We note that there is tension between the practical application of putting “tenants in the centre” in the broader context of a housing policy direction focussed on transfer of stock and redevelopment of public housing. While this independent review of social housing regulation is occurring, Homes Victoria is simultaneously relocating existing public housing tenants from their homes under the public housing renewal program. Those tenants are not “at the centre” of this decision, and the practical aim of applying this approach is questionable in a context where tenants feel powerless in the face of the decisions made by government to move them out of their communities and into an uncertain future.

PDF icon Read the submission here

Pre-Budget Submission NSW – 2022-23

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

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Older Tenants Voice Summer 2021

Our summer newsletter celebrates our many recent events, achievements and awards received. We take a look at who the new corporation "Homes Victoria" really are, talk about how HAAG is gearing up for our federal election campaign, introduce a new cryptic crossword column, and of course review the latest movies about older people and housing.

PDF icon Read the newsletter here

Home at Last: Responding to Homelessness Among Older People in NSW

Housing is critically important for physical and mental health, and general wellbeing of older people. With a decline in home ownership at retirement age, unprecedented increases in housing prices and a reduction in social and affordable housing stock in NSW, older people are experiencing significant housing challenges and are at increased risk of homelessness.

We are calling on the NSW Government to fund aservice to support older people to plan for their housing future and navigate the often-complex housing service system in NSW before they reach crisis point.

PDF icon Read the report here

Watch the launch videos

Home at Last Cost Benefit Analysis

HAAG engaged accounting firm Ernst & Young to provide a cost benefit analysis of the Home at Last Service (HAL). The report shows that by connecting older people with safe, stable, long term
housing the HAL delivers $2.4 million in economic value each year. This value is provided through avoided societal costs including premature entry to aged care, crisis housing and health system costs, and improved wellbeing outcomes.

PDF icon Read the Cost Benefit Analysis Report

Annual Report 2020-21

Our Annual Report reports on the array of services, campaigns and advocacy that make up everything under the banner of 'HAAG'. We've attempted to show how HAAGs strategic pillars of 'Changing Lives', 'Changing the System', 'Honouring our Heritage', and 'Strengthening our Organisation' overlap and help us create a full, wrap around service for all older tenants.

PDF icon Read the Annual Report here

PDF icon HAAG's Audited Financial Statement

Federal Policy Recommendations

405,000 women aged 45 and over are at risk of homelessness in Australia. This is a national issue that is affecting women across the country in metropolitan, regional and rural settings. Multiple changes are required to our housing, retirement, and social services and income support systems to meaningfully address this issue. If we act now, we can reduce future social and economic costs and avoid placing additional pressure on already stretched homelessness and crisis response services.

PDF icon Read our Policy Recommendations

At Risk 2021: Event Report

In September 2021, Housing for the Aged Action Group and University of Melbourne hosted an online event, At Risk 2021: Older women facing homelessness in Australia, from awareness to action. This report back from the forum examines the issues raised and outcomes from the event.

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Submission to the Inquiry into housing affordability and supply in Australia

The Federal Government must Incorporate Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning, fund targeted measures to increase affordable housing stock earmarked for older people, and incrementally remove Capital Gains Tax and Negative Gearing to create an equitable housing market.

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Submission to The Victorian Social Housing Regulation Review: Role of Regulation in sector accountability, viability and growth

We have grave concerns about the directions outlined in this discussion paper for the future of public housing, and the potential impact on potential and current social housing tenants. The implication that the private sector or non-government sector are better at managing housing, more efficient or innovative does not align with the experiences in other jurisdictions, yet the paper is peppered with these value assumptions.

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Submission to The Victorian Social Housing Regulation Review: Service Delivery and the Tenant Experience

We support the stated aim to “provide advice on harmonising resident rights under public and community housing and options to ensure effective complaints management” however, we are concerned that the directions in the consultation paper appear to erode tenant rights, by using current community housing as the benchmark, rather than public housing. We support strengthened tenancy protections for older tenants in community housing, rather than diminishing of protections for older tenants in public housing.

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At Risk Forum: Full Recording and Breakout Sessions

This is the full recording of the At Risk Forum on Older Women and Homelessness held on September 17th. The playlist includes the full introduction and political panel, breakout sessions on Family Violence, Local-Scale Solutions, Influencing for Change, as well as the conclusion of the forum. Skip through to find the breakout sessions of interest to you.

Older Tenants Voice Spring 201

In this Spring edition we cover our new online forum, discuss our participation strategy, accreditation, and of course review the latest movie about older people's housing.

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Options to improve access to existing and alternate accommodation to address the NSW social housing shortage

Our submission calls on the NSW Government to  fund a specialist older person’s housing information and support service, lower the priority age for social housing eligibilityand build  5,000 social and affordable homes per year for 10 years, to address the older peoples housing crisis.

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Purpose, intent and adequacy of the Disability Support Pension Submission

The inadequacy of social security payments can have significant negative physical and mental health impacts on people and forces them to rely on community services that provide mental health, housing and homelessness, and other similar services. Increasing these payments would result in people being able to manage their expenses and, as a result, alleviate pressure on community services that are already struggling to meet the community needs.

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Submission to the Embedded Networks Review

Across sectors, much of the legislation and policies that are meant to monitor or regulate the services provided to older people living in retirement housing options do not offer clear or adequate protections or enforcements. Given this, HAAG is in support of the Panel’s vision to provide consumers of Embedded (electricity) Networks equal protections, market access and treatment to on-market customers.

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Submission to Inquiry into economic equity for Victorian women

We are encouraged to see the government’s interest in better understanding and addressing the economic inequalities that women experience. However, it is disappointing to note that focus of this inquiry on economic equity for women fails to include equal access to housing as a core issue, even though safe, affordable and adequate housing underpins all other aspects of life, in particular women’s economic independence and security.

PDF icon Read our submission to the inquiry here

Submission to The Victorian Social Housing Regulation Review: Background and Scoping Paper

Older women are a fast-growing cohort of people experiencing homelessness, as found by the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into homelessness, however the unique housing needs of older people are barely acknowledged in this consultation paper, or other related policy documents including the 10 Year Strategy. HAAG’s responses to the consultation questions reflect the needs of this vulnerable and largely silenced cohort.

PDF icon Read the submission here

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