Raise the Roof

Shane and Fiona talk to HAAG's new regional workers Teresa and Sheryn about our Shepparton project, expanding the Home at Last service into the Goulburn Valley

Fiona and Shane chat to Stephanie Agius about her new role as "system navigator" at HAAG, and about how she can help you find out what you may be entitled to under the Aged Care system. We also talk about the upcoming AGM and the Federal ElectionTo get in contact with Steph, you can email navigator@oldertenants.org.au or go to our website https://www.oldertenants.org.au/i-need-help/help-navigating...

Older Women, Housing and Family Violence Panel - At Risk 2021 ForumJess Hill, author and journalist, convenes a panel discussion with Lived Experience Advocate Suzanah-Jo Day, Nemat Kharboutli of Muslim Women Australia, and Jocelyn Bignold of McAuley Community Services for Women. You can see the whole panel, including the questions from audience members, here: VIDEO

The At Risk 2021 forum Influencing for Change panel discussion heard about what works and doesnt work in trying to achieve change.  In this exerpt, we hear from Kate Colvin from the Everybody's Home Campaign, Kirsten Deane from the Melbourne Disability Institute about how they got the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and Anna Brown about the Marriage Equality fight.  You can see the entire pa...

This is an exerpt from the At Risk 2: From Awareness to Action online forum held on 17 September.  It features two lived experience advocates, Linda Hahn and Penny Leemhius, and  questions and answers to our political panel - Tanya Plibesek MP from the Australian Labor Party, Larissa Waters MP from the Greens and Zali Stegal MP, Independent. To hear the whole panel, including the speeches from the...

Fiona and Shane speak to Reuben about our new online forum House on Fire and why its more important than ever to connect across the country for housing justice.  We also talk about our upcoming event At Risk: From Awareness to ActionYou can register for the event here:https://houseonfire.oldertenants.org.au/at-risk-forum/You can check out House on Fire here: https://houseonfire.oldertenants.org.au...

Fiona, Shane and Pam speak to David Kelly from Save Public Housing about their new website Public Housing Watch, which is keeping an eye on the public housing renewal developments.  So far lots of public housing has been demolished, but not much has been rebuilt, casting doubt on the Big Housing Build announcement. See the website and get involved here: https://map.savepublichousing.com/ 

Fiona and Shane speak to Jasmine, a Kurdish film maker who is making a documentary about the Bendigo Street campaign, where a group of people moved into houses left empty after they were compulsarily acquired for a freeway project that didnt go ahead.  The conversation includes discussion on the long history of activism in the inner city suburb of Collingwood, and how "housing deprivation" impacts...

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. Intervi...

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 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...

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 adv...

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 femin...

Fiona and Shane talk to David Kelly from RMIT's Centre for Urban Research  about what the Victorian Government's so-called "Big Housing Build" means for the future of public housing.

Shane and Fiona interview Alistair Webster about the Building Better Homes coalition, and their campaign to change the Building Code so that all new homes are built to be accessible for everyone.  We talk about universal housing design, why its important and what you can do to lobby building ministers from across Australia. Check out Building Better Homes @BetterHomesAussign on to the petition: ww...

Fiona and Shane talk to Rebecca Cook about our peer education program,  and how important it is to have people with an experience of housing stress and homelessness talking to older people about their experiences.  Peer education has been part of HAAG's tradition for years, and when older people share their personal stories it helps reduce stigma about homelessness.  We are expanding our program,...

The Older Women and Homelessness forum was held in NSW in November 2020. Hosted by Jo Haylen MP (Seniors), with guests Trish Doyle (Shadow Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic Violence), and Ryan Park (Health, Housing and Homelessness), this recording features Kobi Maglen presenting on behalf of Ageing on the Edge - HAAG's older persons homelessness prevention project, and we also hea...

Shane and Fiona talk to Leonie Bessant about the collection of stories from older people in housing stress from across the country.  The stories have been collected over the last three years, and published in the National Alliance of Seniors For Housing newsletter.  The stories have been published in a book and is available here:https://www.oldertenants.org.au/publications/seniors-for-housing-stor...

Shane and Fiona revisit the highlights of the year, starting with the East Gippsland bushfires, the start of the pandemic, the hard lock down of public housing towers and finishing with reminiscing about the housing activism of the 1980s with Jeff Fiedler. 

Shane and Fiona speak to Claire Hurren about her report that compares the experiences of tenants living in public and community housing.  What difference does having a Community Housing Provider as a landlord make? How do tenants understand and exercise their rights?  You can read the full report here: https://www.oldertenants.org.au/publications/public-and-community-housing-comparing-the-rights-a...

Shane and Fiona discuss recent news on the lack of investment in public housing in Victoria, the flawed Commonwealth Rent Assistance Scheme and NAIDOC week