Sign of the times: ACT Government to be first to appoint Retirement Village Ombudsman

As reported in The Weekly Source, Mar 27 2023 Updated May 3, 2023 Section Editor

In a precursor for retirement village operators and residents in each state, the ACT Government is investigating setting up the first independent Ombudsman to help resolve disputes between residents and operators. 

The new Labor Party-controlled NSW Government, when in Opposition, also promised to create a Retirement Village Ombudsman.

The Labor Party-led ACT Government said it is advocating for a national retirement village and aged care ombudsman, after the Legislative Assembly unanimously voted to support Labor backbencher Michael Pettersson's motion.

Michael told the Legislative Assembly the current arrangements, which rely on internal retirement village disputes committee and the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal, did not always offer the pathway to justice seniors deserve.

"Despite being the first port of call for when a dispute arises, the internal village disputes committee often fails to generate tangible outcomes for residents since the decision is not binding," he said in a statement.

"If a resident subsequently chooses to escalate the matter to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal or the ACT Supreme Court for enforcement, they often find themselves bogged down in a costly, arduous, administrative nightmare.

"As a result, very few seniors pursue the justice they deserve and give up altogether."

He added seniors deserved access to a binding and enforceable mechanism to resolve disputes with the operators of retirement villages.