In the wake of new ABS figures released earlier this week, the Retirement Living Council has urged the Albanese Government to include retirement communities as a key delivery component of achieving the National Housing Accord target.

The ‘silver tsunami’, which is the constantly rising 75-79 age cohort, currently Australia’s fastest growing, is becoming a critical housing issue. RLC Executive Director Daniel Gannon hopes retirement living communities will be utilised as key housing stock to assist in alleviating Australia’s current housing crisis.

“The Prime Minister’s 1.2 million new homes target is an admirably ambitious one, but retirement communities can help achieve this lofty goal as Australia ages,” he says.

“With an annual growth rate of 6.7 percent, the 75–79-year-old age group significantly out paces all other demographics with an overall growth rate of 2.5 percent. Over the next two decades, the number of Australians over 75 will increase from two million to 3.4 million people, which will have socio-economic impacts on the nation.

“Between now and 2030, the retirement industry requires 67,000 homes to be built to meet existing levels of demand from older Australians. Of this amount, only 18,000 are currently planned. These 67,000 homes would represent six per cent of the 1.2 million new homes target, meaning retirement communities can help the government solve Australia’s housing supply problem.”

Gannon cites his Council’s Better Housing for Better Health report, which outlines the financial savings on offer to both government and taxpayers if retirement communities are utilised.

“Retirement villages across the country save the Australian Government almost a billion dollars every year as Australia’s population continues to rapidly age,” he says.

“They achieve this through better designed homes that minimise trips and falls, which means residents can experience fewer visits to the GP, shorter hospital stays and delayed entry to aged care.

“Building better housing can lead to better health outcomes for consumers and governments alike, but we need to ensure regulatory, legislative and investment conditions are helping this ambition, not hindering it.”

Image: Uniting McRae McMahon Place

Architecture & Design Team

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