The Minister for Workplace Safety and Consumer Affairs, the Hon Elise Archer MP, has made a commitment to amend the Retirement Villages Act 2004 (Tas) (‘the Act’) to strengthen protections for residents and tenants of retirement villages, including to address concerns regarding significant increases to the annual recurrent charges, as well as special levies.
The Minister recognises the importance of consultation with key stakeholders in this industry, including residents, operators and others. We seek your feedback on the enclosed draft Bill. The draft Bill may be amended as a result of consultation feedback, before being tabled in Parliament.
Key aspects of the reforms proposed in the Bill outlines.
The Government’s intention is to balance the protection of residents and tenants of retirement villages from significant, unjustified increases to their fees and charges, while ensuring required and reasonable fee increases or levies can proceed. The Government recognises that it is critical to the sustainable operation of retirement villages that there be avenues for fee increases where necessary, and considers that these amendments would provide more certainty for both residents and operators.
This information and the draft Bill is also available at: https://www.justice.tas.gov.au/community-consultation/consultations/retirement-villages-amendment-bill-2023
Submissions on the Bill can be made until close of business Wednesday, 13 September 2023 in one of the following ways using the subject line ‘Retirement Villages Amendment Bill 2023’:
1. Online via our Public Consultation website
2. Via email at haveyoursay@justice.tas.gov.au
3. Via post to:
Department of Justice
Office of the Secretary
GPO Box 825
Hobart TAS 7001
Please note that this consultation process is subject to the Government’s ‘Publication of Submissions Received by Tasmanian Government Departments in Response to Consultation on Major Policy Issues’ policy, which can be accessed through the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s website.
Under this policy, submissions will be made publicly available on the Department of Justice website unless, for instance, the submitting party requests that their submission remain confidential, or it contains material that is defamatory or offensive.
If you would like your submission to be treated as confidential please indicate this in writing at the time of making your submission, including the reasons why.
Submissions that have not been marked as confidential and which meet publication guidelines will be published following consideration by Government.
If you have any questions in relation to the Bill please contact Hanna Brown at Hanna.Brown@justice.tas.gov.au.
Attachment 1 – Retirement Villages Amendment Bill 2023 – Consultation Version – updated 28 August