It’s with great gratitude and joy that I opened my third electorate office this week in Balclutha.
I’m keeping a pre-2023 election promise to have a new office in much closer proximity to the people of Clutha, until now supported by MP constituent hot desk clinics.
It means constituents will have easy access to immigration, housing, health, education and other MP services in a way that hasn’t been available to them previously and extended hours in the new year.
One of the key issues I will continue to be working on across the whole southern region and indeed New Zealand, is pushing the government to reform the retirement villages legislation. They promised to progress work Labour had begun, under the coalition agreement between NZ First and National. However, in recent months there appear to be cracks in that commitment with the soonest legislature changes potentially coming in as late as 2029.
I have been working with Brian Peat from Mosgiel, the president of the Residential Villages Residents Association of NZ. His members — residents of retirement villages across New Zealand — are frustrated with the long delays in legislative reform. The review of the Retirement Villages Act, recommended as urgent in 2022, is expected to take until 2027-28, and further delays are possible.
It is clear there is an imbalance in the legislation heavily favouring village owners, leaving residents without adequate consumer protections. Key issues include repairs and maintenance, complaints and disputes, and repayment of residents’ capital after exit.
I have questioned the actions taken by Seniors Minister Casey Costello regarding the review. The minister stated they have engaged with both the Retirement Village Association and the Residents Association to achieve positive outcomes — yet we are still waiting.
Despite claims of finding common ground, residents feel there is little agreement on key issues. The operators’ association has been resistant to discussing major concerns, often deferring conversations or requesting more evidence.
The Residential Villages Residents group, supported by other organisations, has been campaigning for urgent legislative changes. They argue negotiation alone will not resolve the power imbalance between village owners and residents.
Residents are concerned the government may be delaying the review due to perceived satisfaction among residents or influence from vested sector interests.
There is a call for the government to honour its commitments and prioritise the legislative review.
Many residents feel they may not live to see the changes. An estimated 30,000 people may die or moving into care while waiting for their rights to be addressed.
And so, we come full circle. It’s time to honour the promises made by this government’s coalition partners to the over 53,000 people who live in retirement villages across New Zealand.
