It is a pleasure to rise to speak on the Retirement Villages Amendment Bill 2024 and to contribute to this debate today. I have heard a few contributions, and it is great to hear how this is going to benefit the wider Victorian population in other electorates across the state.

We know that the state of Victoria is undergoing a significant demographic shift, and we know that our residents and our population are getting older. Data estimates that one in four Victorians will be at the age of 60 years or over by 2046. As the population does age we must ensure that there is a diverse range of housing options for people to have a choice when they need to decide what their housing may look like when it is different to a home of their own. It is really important to have that choice. It supports their wellbeing and independence, and obviously we want to continue to have that dignity for our older Victorians. That housing must be accessible and affordable, and it has to provide security. It is a place to call home, to feel safe and for individuals to flourish.

Many look for a social connection and community engagement when they are looking for a retirement option. Retirement villages, lifestyle communities and residential parks all play a role in that landscape, and they all offer something very different. However, as the demand for those options is growing it is essential that we in this place have policies that reflect that, that we evolve with our policies to protect our residents and that we improve transparency and accessibility for our older Victorians.

I know that in developing this bill we have had lots of community consultation. When government, industry and stakeholders come together, genuine choices and work are achieved. With all those stakeholders we were able to get a positive outcome for this particular issue. Having a future-focused approach to retirement housing is going to benefit all those individuals who look towards that in their future.

I have visited several Bellarine retirement options, I suppose you can call them, with different living arrangements. The vast majority of those residents have spoken so positively about their living arrangements. They enjoy the community living in their retirement places. A lot of them love the security of knowing their neighbours and being close to their neighbours and that someone will look after their place if they go away for a little while, if they travel. They love having that connection to a small living community and being connected to their wider community as well. They enjoy the low-maintenance options. Instead of having lots of gardens to look after, they can do that on a smaller scale, and they can enjoy activities such as bowls, gardening, workshops and the gym. Many provide these options in retirement housing. They are beautifully done, most of them, and residents really enjoy that part of it.

But the Bellarine is also changing. As much as I talk about how it is changing and evolving and more families are moving into the area, I would generally describe the Bellarine still as being an older demographic. In the 2021 census the median age was 48, and that was older than the state median age, which was 38. At that time the largest cohort of the population was the 65- to 69-year-olds, and they were making up 8.3 per cent of the Bellarine population.

I would like to just note here also that in the Bellarine electorate I have the Borough of Queenscliff. That does herald as one of the oldest local government areas in the country. Recently it was also ranked as being a top place to reside if you wish to make 100. So if it is a goal for someone in Victoria to make it to 100, we welcome you to the Borough of Queenscliff. It is a wonderful place to retire.

I would also like to just put on the record and congratulate Linette Harriott from Portarlington, who has just been appointed to the state government’s Senior Victorians Advisory Committee. Linette and I caught up recently, and housing was one of those topics and issues that she would like to raise on that committee and tackle. I want to wish her all the best with that, thank her for all the work that she has done and congratulate her for being on that advisory committee. I look forward to hearing how she goes in the next few years on that committee. That really is at the crux of this bill – that retirement villages are that core component and an important sector of our housing make-up.

For the Legislative Council’s Legal and Social Issues Committee inquiry into the operation and regulation of the retirement housing sector, the final report did provide a pretty comprehensive analysis of the sector. It highlighted and had some recommendations for reform, and that is what this bill is going to. In the final report the chair made a statement in her foreword, and I would like to quote that statement because I think it summarises the position that we are in at the moment:

Victoria’s population is ageing and causing significant growth in demand for retirement housing. At the same time, residents have heightened expectations about the services that will be delivered.

This creates a range of challenges for government and industry, and also prompted significant public interest in this Inquiry. It’s important for the Victorian Government to ensure that legislation keeps pace with change, and in a way that protects consumers and provides the sector with the certainty it needs to grow.

…

Victorians deserve to feel confident that should they choose to move into a retirement village or park, they will find a suitable home where they will feel safe and enjoy their retirement years …

That is certainly what the government is doing and what this bill in the house today is doing and tackling.

The consultation clearly outlined that reforms were needed, and it aimed to clarify the rights of residents and operators. It was critical to get that balance right, and that is what we are doing today. This bill is a starting point for a new regulatory framework designed to meet the needs of residents and industry.

I just want to talk a little bit about what this bill will do. We have heard from those involved in the industry, including residents, that contracts – when residents go into exploring whether they are going to enter a village – can be a really complex situation for them, while accessing information can be really difficult. So to better support residents this bill is going to introduce a new requirement that contracts must be in a standard form, which we will prescribe in regulation. With those contracts being really complex and the overall process challenging, even to try to compare your options when you are looking at going into a retirement village and to understand the overall cost, long-term costs and ongoing fees and charges, we need to make this simpler and easier for residents. We will develop a plain English prescribed form which will be easier to understand for all those involved so they can make informed choices. This bill is really important for those older Victorians looking to have choice and looking to be able to compare and feel confident with the decisions that they make.

Just in closing, with this new bill and these new regulations this government wants to ensure that our older Victorians have access to a fair, transparent and secure housing option. This will benefit hundreds of Bellarine constituents who will live and go on to live in retirement villages.

We have beautiful retirement options on the Bellarine, and many, I know, have travelled from all over the country and state to retire on the Bellarine. They enjoy the lifestyle and the community, and we want them to be able to live in a place that better protects their rights as a resident of a retirement village. We want them to make informed decisions before signing contracts, and hopefully it will be a place that they call home for many years, to age with dignity, support their social and community activities and live comfortably.

I just want to also thank some of the residents who have reached out to me to speak and discuss this bill that I am speaking about today, and especially Deidre. I thank her for her lived experience and her feedback in having a discussion with me. It was very much appreciated – to better understand this bill and the impact that it will have.

As the Victorian population ages, we want to ensure retirement villages provide a safe and fair housing option, and that is what this bill will do today. These are our mums, our dads and our grandparents, and they need us to do that to protect them. They deserve to have retirement without fear, unfair contracts or lack of support, and this ongoing reform between government, industry and advocacy groups will continue so we can ensure that retirement villages serve their pure purpose.