Raise the Roof

Shane talks to Steph and Kobi about the new Federal Government program Care Finder, which is replacing the Assistance with Care and Housing program nationally.

In this special summer edition, we hear extracts from a number of interviews we have done in 2022 on the topic of public housing. Firstly, Dr David Kelly crunches the numbers on the Big Housing Build announcement, then we hear fom Barack Beacon resident Margaret Kelly. Lucie McMahon, documentary maker, talks about the experience of the Walker St public housing estate in Northcote and Simon Robinso...

Shane and Fiona talk to Gerard Brody from Consumer Action Law Centre about the consumer issues that particularly affect older people, such as dodgy retirement contracts, reverse mortgages, and other scams

Shane and Fiona talk to Simon Robinson, managing director of not-for-profit research firm Office about their recently release reports to Retain, Repair and Reinvest in the Ascot Vale and Barack Beacon public housing estates, rather than demolishing them and giving them to private developers. You can find the reports here: https://office.org.au/

Shane and Fiona talk to Lawrie Robertson, Residents of Retirement Villages Victoria, about the good and the bad of living in Retirement Villages, the issues with current laws, and what residents would like to see under a new Act. RRVV can be contacted via their website www.rrvv.org.au where you can join to become a member, receive information about retirement villages, including what to plan for i...

Fiona and Shane talk to Kerrie Byrne from the Save Public Housing Collective and Public Housing Front Line about the state of public housing in Victoria and their planned rally at the Ministers office, calling for action on the backlog of repairs and maintenance, the "embargo" on rent rebates and complaints. 

Shane and Fiona talk to Jade and Sharon about their recently opened support service for older women, supported by us here at HAAGTo see their website: https://www.howss.org.au/The Retirement Village Act Review consultation is available here: https://engage.vic.gov.au/retirementvillagesact

On today's show, Shane talks to Judy Duff, a HAAG member and Chair of the Manufactured Home Owners Association of Victoria, an organisation of and for residential park residents. They talk about the group's history and aims, the big issues residents face, and the recent Roundtable co-organised by HAAG and the Commissioner for Residential Tenancies. You can contact the MHOA by calling 0431 347 797...

Shane and Fiona spoke to Lucie McMahon and Celeste Declario-Davis about their new documentary "Things will be different", documenting the so-called "renewal" of public housing in Northcote, Victoria. To donate to the documentary, go to:DOCUMENTARY AUSTRALIATo find out more go to www.thingswillbedifferent.com

Fiona and Shane talk to Diana Fisk, the impact producer for Undercover, a new documentary recently screened at Melbourne International Film Festival, about older women's homelessness, about the women interviewed for the film and how the film links to social change efforts. To find out more about the film: https://www.undercoverdocumentary.com/ 

With Fiona away, Shane invites, er, Fiona to talk about the importance of older people leading their own struggles for housing justice. We talk about some of the ways HAAG tries to facilitate this, including our ongoing action and reference groups, and the upcoming Residential Parks Roundtable we're co-organising with the Office of the Commissioner for Residential Tenancies. If you'd like to find...

Shane and Fiona talk to Dini

Fiona and Shane speak to our regional project worker, and Wamba Wamba woman Teresa Jasper about her work in regional Victoria and the importance of safely housnig elders for the wellbeing of the whole family and community. We then hear from Cheryl Axebly from Aboriginal Community Housing in South Australia about their purpose built innovate elders village.

In this episode we talk to an activist named Glen about his experiences in the struggle for housing justice in the 80s and 90s, and how the circumstances and campaigns of that era compare to today.

Shane talks to Ricki Spencer, an older transgender sociologist and member of HAAG's LGBTI community reference group about what the group is doing towards improving housing justice for older LGBTI people. To get involved, call 03 9654 7389To get advice about your housing options, call 1300 765 768Complete the LGBTI housing survey

We hear from four older women about their experiences of homelessness - Vanessa, Jo, Robyn and Lynette - who were recently featured in a short film, funded through Streetsmart. You can watch the film hereWe then hear the voices of ten older women from Queensland, NSW and Victoria talking about their experiences and calling for politicians to act to address the housing crisis for older women. You c...

Shane speaks to Bernie Duff, who was HAAG's first full-time employee in the early 90s, about how we got involved in housing activism, successes and challenges in the struggle for housing justice, and what that history can teach us about our struggles today, in the election and beyond. 

Shane and Fiona talk to Emma Bacon, Executive Director of Sweltering Cities about their recent survey into housing and heat, and how older Public Housing tenants in highrises in Melbourne are coping (or not coping) with heat waves. Find out more here:www.swelteringcities.org Twitter: @swelteringcityFB: swelteringcities 

We hear from the LGBTI housing panel at the National Housing Conference, held in Melbourne 3-5 March 2022, including Andrew Rogers. 

Fiona talks to Margaret Kelly, long-time public housing resident of Barack Beaconsfield estate in Port Melbourne which has recently and unexpectedly been slated for "renewal" by the State Government. Shocked residents are fighting back about what they see as the destruction of their close-knit community to make way for gentrification of the area.

Katelyn Butters, CEO of Victorian Public Tenants Association, talks about the Social Housing Regulation Interim Report and what the implications are for public and community housing tenants. Gemma White, Early Intervention Worker at HAAG, talks about how people can get involved in lobbying their MPs and candidates for the upcoming Federal ElectionSocial Housing Regulation Interim ReportFederal Ele...

Shane and Fiona interview Joan Doyle and Maureen Donnelly about housing activism in the 1970's and 1980's, where groups of people took direct action for housing justice, including squatting empty government housing, protesting at Parliament and lots of other creative forms of action. A great insight into the early days of HAAG and testimony to the change that can happen through people "standing on...

We pay tribute to our long-time member Richard Tate who sadly passed away late last year, and play a short clip from his talk to the Unitarian Church about the importance of public housing. We hear from panellists who spoke at last year's At Risk Forum about local solutions to older women's homelessness. First we hear from Erin Dolan, Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation, about the foundations Affor...

Shane, Fiona and Pam discuss the year that was, with very little mention of the pandemic, but lots of talk about housing for older people. The show includes some great clips from previous episodes. Mentioned in the show was:David Kelly article about "vulture landlords"https://overland.org.au/2021/12/vulture-landlords-and-the-justice-washing-of-housing-struggle/ Public Housing Watchhttps://map.save...

Fiona and Shane talk to Peter Sibly, General Manager of United Housing Co-operative, about his new project to build housing for women aged 55 years and older in the Western Suburbs, with a grant from the Victorian Governments Big Housing Build. He talks about co-operative housing as a model for tenant participation and reminisces about the early days of HAAG.