Submissions

Submission to Victoria's 2026–30 Climate Change Strategy

HAAGs submission to the consultation on Victoria’s Climate Change Strategy 2026-30 calls for a have a specific focus on supporting older Victorians, particularly those who are financially disadvantaged, in recognition of the disproportionate impact of climate change on older people. We recommend that the Strategy acknowledges the links between climate change and housing, supporting calls for a significant increase in the number of public, community and affordable housing.  We also recommend strengthening minimum energy efficiency standards for rental properties, and improving the ability of public and community housing to withstand extreme heat events, with a priority on 55+ public housing stock.

Read our submission here

Submission to the Inquiry into the redevelopment of Melbourne’s public housing towers

The Victorian Government's plans to "retire and redevelop" public housing towers in Flemington and North Melbourne raise serious concerns about the future of genuine public housing. While residents have been promised relocation assistance and the right to return, the proposed redevelopments will only increase "social" housing units by a mere 10%, with the majority of new apartments being privately owned. Critical details regarding land ownership, development types, and the preservation of public housing remain undisclosed. Our submission makes recommendations to address these serious concerns.

Read the submission here

Joint submission to the Inquiry into the redevelopment of Melbourne’s public housing towers

Our joint submission alongside a wide range of community and legal organisations calls on the inquiry to recognise these shared principles, respecting the rights of Public Housing tower residents!

Read our joint submission

Submission to the inquiry into the supply of homes in regional Victoria

HAAGs submission to this Victorian Parliament inquiry draws on the experiences HAAG hears about the serious lack of homes for older people in regional Victoria. We call for a range of measures to ensure older people in regional Victoria have secure and appropriate housing, including: increasing public and community housing to 10% of all housing stock by 2040; that the Victorian government invest in HAAG’s Home at Last Service to ensure older people across all regional Victoria can receive housing advice and support; and that housing meet accessibility standards to enable people to age in place.

Read our submission here

Submission to Audit Office of NSW Social Housing Review

Our submission draws on the lived experiences of older people applying for, and living in, social housing in NSW. We recommend that trauma informed approaches are taken with everyone applying for social housing and that older people are treated with dignity and respect, and highlight the need for a specialist older persons’ housing information and support service to support older people to navigate the social housing system and establish tenancies.

Read our submission

Retirement Villages Act amendments infographic

Our position on the Retirement Villages Amedment Bill 2024

Submission on the National Plan to End the Abuse and Mistreatment of Older People 2024–34 Public Consultation Draft

Housing stress, insecurity and homelessness are integrally linked to the abuse and mistreatment of older people, and the current housing crisis has exacerbated this. Without access to a safe, secure, affordable home of their own older people can find themselves living in situations – with adult children, relatives, or strangers – where elder abuse is more likely to occur. When elder abuse does occur, a lack of alternative housing options means it is difficult to for older people to escape that abuse.

Submission to NSW Homelessness Strategy 2025 - 2035

HAAG welcomes the opportunity to provide input into the NSW Draft Homelessness Strategy 2025 – 2035. We especially acknowledge the contributions to this submission made by members of HAAG’s advisory groups including NSW Lived Experience Acton Group (LEAG), National Alliance of Seniors for Housing (NASH), Retirement Accommodation Action Group (RAAG), LGBTQIA+ reference group and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) reference group.

Ageing on the Edge NSW Pre-Budget Submission 2025-26

The NSW Ageing on the Edge Pre-Budget Submission provides proposals to address the housing crisis for older people in NSW who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. We call on the NSW government to: fund a specialist older persons’ housing information and support service that comprises both an early intervention and crisis response; lower the priority age for social housing eligibility from 80 years as a matter of urgency; and build 5,000 social homes per year for 10 years, 20% of which should be dedicated to older people.

Read the NSW Ageing on the Edge Pre-Budget Submission

 

 

Victorian Pre-Budget Submission 2025-2026

HAAG’s Pre-Budget Submission provides proposals to address the impacts of the housing crisis on older Victorians. We call on the Victorian government to: respond to the specific housing needs older people by increasing investment in the Home at Last service so it can provide support across the state; fund housing options for older renters who aren’t eligible for social housing; and fund a service to assist older women to access a broader range of housing options including co-operative housing.

We also call for increasing public and community housing to 10% of all housing stock by 2040, investment in revitalising the Independent Living Units (ILU) Sector, and legislating a definition of ‘affordable housing’.

Read our pre-budget submission

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