Raise the Roof

Shane and Fiona hear from speakers at the Victorian Homelessness Conference, held at Melbourne Town Hall late last year. Vera Considine talks about her experience of precarious housing as an older woman, and Peter Sibly talks about his plans for the Footscray Lions Village co-operative for older women.

Shane and Fiona hear speakers from the National Housing Conference panel on older people's housing, which HAAG facilitated last year. First, Luke Garswood from Connect Vic Park in Western Australia, and then Dee, a resident of Wintringham. Don't forget to subscribe to 3CR!  

We hear from seven members of HAA'G's LGBTIQA+ working group - Rosemary, Robert, Margaret, Rikki, Chuping, Garry and Georgie - who talk about what home means to them. Then we hear from Andrew Rogers from Val's Ageing and Aged Care and HAAG's Committee of Management, about Midsumma, and their radio show on 3CR Rainbows Don't Fade with AgeThanks to Kye White for pre-production! 

Fiona talks to Emma Bacon from Sweltering Cities about recent indications from the Victorian Government to introduce minimum standards for rental homes on cooling, and what we need them to put into law to make homes safer for older people in heat waves. We also talk about a new heat stress tool, the annual Summer Survey and how heatwaves are a systemic issue that need to be tackled by all levels o...

Shane and Fiona listen back to some of the stories of older women and homelessness, with an uplifting message from Molly Hadfield Award winner Vanessa Heart

Shane and Fiona hear from Rose Bruce-Smith about the types of things Consumer Action Law Centre are seeing affect older people - sophisticated scams, dodgy car sales, and retirement disputes - and what needs to be done about it. Heaps of great resources on their website https://consumeraction.org.au/

Shane and Steph talk to Victoria's Commissioner for Residential Tenancies, Heather Holst, about her role and the problems faced by renters (and especially older renters) in the state. 

Shane and Reuben talk to Louisa Bassini, the Acting Director of Legal Practice at Inner Melbourne Community Legal, about the Victorian government's recent Housing Statement, focusing on the government's plans to demolish all the city's public housing highrises and what that means for current public housing tenants. We also talk more broadly about renters rights and the housing situation in Melbour...

Shane talks to Fiona, Linda and Michelle, who are all attending the National Housing Conference in Brisbane this week, about their impressions of the conference and what we need to build housing justice for older people. I also talk about some events HAAG is running or participating in as part of this month's Seniors Festival.

In a special double-Fiona episode, Shane and Fiona are joined by Fiona 2.0 to discuss some events HAAG is running as part of this year's Seniors Festival - retirement housing, quilting and more. Then we talk about the Andrews Government's recent Housing Statement, including some faint praise and a short list of okay announcements before we get to the really bad stuff in this garbage bag of antisoc...

Shane and Fiona spoke to Samantha Floreani, Program Lead at Digital Rights Watch, about how tech is eroding older renters rights, and giving real estate agents way too much power. https://digitalrightswatch.org.au/

Shane and Fiona hear from members of HAAG's delegation to Canberra, where we launched our report "Ageing in a housing crisis" during Homelessness Week 2023.First we hear from Linda Hahn, Housing Older Women's Movement, and Michelle Cook, from HAAG's NSW Lived Experience Group. Then we hear from Professor Wendy Stone, Swinburne University, and Associate Professor Emma Power, Western Sydney Universi...

Fiona and Shane talk to Janet, Mea and Peter from United Housing co-op on their 40th anniversary. We discuss the history of co-operative movements and the importance of partipatory tenant-led housing, how things have changed and what the future might hold for this important housng type. 

Shane talks to Helen, a resident of the Techno Park neighbourhood in Williamstown who are currently battling Hobson's Bay Council for the right to stay in their homes. We talk about the situation, the residents' campaign to stay, and the broader housing crisis for older women. You can sign the petition to support Techno Park residents here, or follow their Facebook page here. 

Fiona speaks to Gerard Mansour about his ten years as Victoria's Commissioner for Seniors and what he learnt from listening to the views and perspectives of 47000 older Victorians. We discuss the importance of Commissioner roles in raising the visibility of groups who are often invisible and ignored. and how having good housing contributes to "Ageing well".

Shane and Fiona speak to Rebecca Cook, HAAG's early intervention and community engagement worker, about how we raise the voices of older people in our community education and advocacy work. She talks about our working groups, and a new project to collect older women's housing histories,. Shane and Fiona then go on to talk about our plans for Canberra during Homelessness Week.

Fiona and Shane talk to Sue Perini from Elder Rights Advocacy about aged care services, both in-home and residential. What issues are the most common, how can people get help, and what needs to change to ensure older people can live with dignity both at home and in care? 

Fiona and Shane speak to Emma Greenhalgh about the Federal Budget and what it means for people in low income and in housing stress. 

Shane talks to Kerry, a solicitor and community legal education coordinator from the Disability Discrimination Legal Service. Many people develop disabilities as they age, and this can seriously affect their access to housing as well as other aspects of their lives. What rights and options do disabled people have to protect themselves from discrimination?  You can call DDLS on (03) 9654 8644. You...

Shane and Fiona talk to Dini Liyananrchchi about the NSW State Election, where the ALP is now in minority government, and what it means for older people's housing issues. We start the show with a recording from our forum held in February, where Michelle Cook, a member of HAAG's NSW Lived Experience Advisory Group tells her personal story of housing stress and homelessness.

Jorge Jorquera from Maribyrnong Council talks to Shane and Fiona about gentrification and rising housing costs in the inner west. We talk about how development is reshaping Footscray, including the old and new hospital sites. 

On International Womens Day we are focussing on older women and homelessness. Fiona speaks to Diana, Jen Jen and Priscilla - all older women who have experienced homelessness or housing insecurity. They talk about their experiences and what they would like Government to do about it.

Fiona and Shane speak to Anicia, Violet, Elvie and David about the Footscray Lions Village redevelopment and their hopes for the future. To read more about the United Housing Co-op and Lions Club partnership to build 55+ womens housing, see https://www.unitedhousing.org.au/news/united-housing-co-operative-big-housing-build/To sign the Sweltering Cities petition for better cooling in rental housing...

This week HAAG headed to Sydney to talk about older people's housing issues ahead of the upcoming state election. On this episode, I talk to HAAG member Michelle about living in a caravan park and organising for housing justice, and Fiona York about new research on the lives and needs of older renters in NSW. 

Fiona speaks to Robert Brierley, member of HAAG's LGBTI community advisory group about Midsumma and the upcoming Better Together conferenceTo complete HAAG's survey go to: LGBTI surveyFor information about our upcoming Loud, Proud and Unhoused events