The NSW Retirement Villages Residents Assn asked Liberal and Labor what to expect if they win this Saturday. Both talked up more regulations.
The Minister for Customer Service, Victor Dominello (Liberal Party), and the Shadow Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, Courtney Houssos (Labor Party) responded to the request.
Victor, who retires from politics after 15 years when NSW voters go to the polls, told the NSW RVRA:
“The NSW Government supported the findings (of the Greiner Report) and committed to making reforms to give effect to them.
The final phase of implementing the Greiner report’s recommendations is developing and consulting on a public register. The purpose of the register is to address the problematic prevalence of information asymmetry between operators and residents (prospective and current) and the financial burden on residents if something goes wrong. Targeted consultation on the register, including on the fields and usability aspects, is due to commence in the coming months.
The reforms are scheduled to be evaluated this year and this evaluation will inform the remake of the Retirement Villages Regulation 2017. The Regulation remake will be deferred until 2024 so that there is sufficient scope and time for any amendments to incorporate the findings of the evaluation.”
Courtney, who is jointing leading the Labor Party’s Upper House ticket, told the NSW RVRA:
“NSW Labor supports the grant awarded to the Retirement Village Residents Association in November 2022, which has been used to improve advice and education capabilities. If NSW Labor forms Government in March, we will extend the $125,000 grant awarded to the RVRA. We want to see the RVRA continue to prosper and grow.
NSW Labor acknowledges that the Greiner inquiry into the retirement village sector called for a dedicated ombudsman service, which would assist residents with dispute resolution, including mediation. If we are elected, we will investigate how this can be brought into effect.
If elected, a NSW Labor Government has committed to establishing a Strata Commissioner who will be charged with overseeing strata governance and policy across government, including legislative and regulatory reform in the Retirement Village sector. This will include implementing any recommendations made to improve the sector.”