Raise the Roof

Long-time HAAGies Jeff and April came in to talk about where HAAG and older people's housing issues are at, including HAAG's national project, public housing stock transfers, and changes to public housing eligibility for older people. If you want to get in touch you can call HAAG on (03) 9654 7389.

Aoife and Shane talk about HAAG's expanded Retirement Housing Project and the issues that come up in these supposedly older-person-friendly kinds of housing - plus how the residents are fighting back. If you want to get in touch you can call HAAG on (03) 9654 7389. 

New HAAG chair Phyll Williams talks about the biggest issues in older people's housing, and her vision and goals for the future. If you want to get in touch you can call us on (03) 9654 7389. 

Royal Abbott joins us to talk about an exciting new project documenting the history of HAAG and struggles over public housing more broadly.

Carmel McMennemin was a longtime member of HAAG who sadly passed away a few weeks ago, and on today's show we celebrate her memory and the values she spent her life fighting for. 

The state government's review of Victorian rental laws is coming to a close after over a year of consultation. They recently released an options paper setting out some ideas they're considering for reform. I talked to Tenants Union policy officer Yaelle Caspi about the options paper - is it good or bad? What will it mean for older renters? 

Independent Living Units were built roughly from the 1950s to the 80s as a form of housing for older people - but since government funding for the program ended, nobody's really looked at the conditions or issues for the many thousands of people still living in them. Aoife Cooke recently completed a report - Independent Voices - that investigates the experiences of people living in Independent Liv...

Shane talks to new HAAG co-manager Fiona about her vision and goals for the organisation. They also discuss the recent World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, including the ways elder abuse can affect older people's housing, as well as resources and contacts for people experiencing elder abuse. If you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse, please contact Seniors Rights Victoria for advice and s...

HAAG is going nationwide in an exciting new project funded by the Wicking Trust. Jeff comes in to talk all about it, and the prospects for both improved services and grassroots activism for older people's housing justice across Australia. We also talk about the weakness of voluntary guidelines that have failed to produce accessible housing for disabled people in the private rental market, and how...

A look back at the big news about older people's housing issues over 2015. As always, if you're an older person and want information or advice about a housing issue please contact HAAG on 1300 765 178.

Shane from HAAG talks to Sue Leigh and Kris Spark from Fair Go For Pensioners. What is FGFP and why has it taken housing as a major focus? Why does public housing remain politically important in 2015 and what can we do to fight for it? Plus Melis talks about ending male violence against women and how fighting family violence is vital to achieving housing justice for older people. As always, if you...

Spike from the Homeless Persons Union of Victoria talk's to Shane from HAAG about the union's history and activities, and how services like HAAG's Home At Last can work better with homeless people. As always, if you are a Victorian over 55 and you'd like to talk to someone about your housing situation, please give us a call on 1300 765 178.

Shane from HAAG and Steph from West Heidelberg discuss the Residential Tenancies list at VCAT - the tribunal that makes decisions about Victorian tenancy disputes. Should you go to VCAT, and if so, what should you know first? And in light of the current Victorian government review of the Residential Tenancies Act, what are the big structural problems with VCAT and what changes would benefit tenant...

Shane and Jeff talk about Laying the Groundwork, the first stage of the Victorian Government review of the state's rental laws, with a focus on what this will mean for older renters. We look at the political context, the prospects for positive reforms, and what all this means for public housing. If you'd like to make a submission to the opening stage of the review you have until August 5, so check...

Shane is joined by Anne and Naomi to talk about elder abuse and family violence. In the context of the Royal Commission into Family Violence and growing public awareness about male violence against women, elder abuse remains underreported and poorly understood. We discuss the ways this effects older people's access to safe, secure accommodation and the political context of ageism that fosters elde...

Last week HAAG launched it's new film Feels Like Home, in which five of our members tell their own stories. For this weeks show, we hear excerpts from the film as Bruno and Joan talk about what it was like to experience the risk of homelessness in private rental, and how finding secure, affordable housing changed their lives. We also hear from the film's director, Toni Bentley from Bentwheel Produ...

Gemma from HAAG and Indy from our community reference group talk about a new project researching housing needs among older people from a range of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Shane talks about funding for HAAG and the homelessness sector more broadly, and the Bad Landlord of the Month for March - the federal government.