Housing for the Aged Action Group

Fiona interviews Robert Pradolin, CEO of Housing all Australians, about the role of the private sector in addressing the housing crisis.  He talks about his awakening to the issues of homelessness, how "purpose" is just as important as "profit" in the private sector, and what his organisation is doing to make use of all the empty buildings in our cities to provide shelter for the homeless.Interviewing organisations like these is not what we ordinarily do on 3CR – we usually try to hear from people who do not usually get their voices heard on the radio - and would love to hear your thoughts.  Is there a role for private developers in providing affordable housing, or is this a fundamental contradiction?  Is it true that government is too slow to act, and we must turn to the private sector? Can we use the masters tools to dismantle the masters house?  Get in contact and tell us what you think haag@oldertenants.org.au or call (03) 9654 7389 to have your say 

Rental laws have changed in Victoria.  What does this mean for older renters?  What can you do if you get an eviction notice?  Is it illegal to have no heater in your house? What modifications can you make to your home?  This and more in our wide ranging interview with lawyer Georga Wootton from Tenants VictoriaTenants Victoria Advice Line:  (03) 9416 2577https://tenantsvic.org.au/

Shane, Fiona and Pam talk about the Retirement Accommodation Action Group (RAAG) and some of their experiences in retirement housing, and how those experiences relate to the government's review of the Retirement Villages Act. The group is calling for an ombudsman so that these issues can be easily resolved

Fiona welcomes co-host Pam back to the airwaves and we talk about the importance of community radio to HAAG and our members.  We interview Lois Knight about her work in documenting the ways HAAG "elevates the voices of older people" and how important community radio is for that, and we chat about HAAG's first "hybrid" face to face and Zoom general meeting

Fiona speaks to Andrew Rogers, member of HAAG's Committee and our LGBTI community reference group.  He talks about what interested him in getting involved in housing advocacy, his experience as a trainer for LGBTI inclusion in aged care, and his own personal experience of housing stress and mental health.  

Fiona talks to Dini Liyanarachchi, HAAG's new NSW-based worker about political advocacy and our national campaign for housing justice.  They chat about the Federal Budget, what it means for public housing (not much) and older people (a little more than not much)

Fiona and Shane talk to Dee, an older woman living outside a major city in Victoria who is in housing stress.  She is ineligible for public housing but does not have enough savings to purchase a home, and is falling through the gaps of a system that has very few affordable housing options.  Many older women find themselves in this situation and we are referring to this group as "the missing middle", although Dee does not use that term.  She tells us about her housing situation, and what she would like the government to do about it.Dee was part of our Ten Year Affordable Housing Strategy consultation.  You can read our submission here: https://www.oldertenants.org.au/sites/default/files/haag_submission_to_10_year_housing_strategy_final.pdf

With the Vic government continuing its review of the Retirement Villages Act, Fiona and Shane talk to Katherine Temple from the Consumer Action Law Centre about retirement villages - what are the problems in the industry, and what needs to change? 

Katelyn Butterss from the Victorian Public Tenants Association talks to Shane and Fiona about the Vic government's so-called 'big housing spend' and proposed ten-year housing strategy - the good, the bad, and the just plain missing in the state's housing policy. The consultation discussed in this episode is now closed, but you can read more about it and follow future progress here. If you need advice or assistance from the VPTA, you can call 1800 015 510 or email enquiries@vpta.org.au. And you can find out more about HAAG at our website, oldertenants.org.au. 

Fiona welcomes Pam Young back to the show, and chats to Kobi Maglen on this International Women's Day special.  We hear about the disparity in retirement incomes for older women, which leaves them in poverty and at risk of homelessness in their later years.  We chat about Pam's experiences in growing up in public housing in the 1950's.  And we hear a recording from the late Molly Hadfield, a feminist activist and one of our earliest members, talking about what it means to have safe and well connected housing.