Northern Victoria Region
Ms MAXWELL (Northern Victoria) (12:17): (1627) My question is to the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation and relates to an ongoing issue for retirement village residents in Victoria as they await reforms via the new retirement villages act. In 2020 I raised concern in Parliament about the lack of clear compulsion for Victorian retirement villages to have emergency evacuation plans or even assembly points. My constituent is concerned that we are nearly at the end of another fire season, emergency management plans were not included in the options paper for the review of the Retirement Villages Act 1986 and there is still no sign of new legislation. Section 58A of the New South Wales Retirement Villages Act 1999 requires operators to ensure an emergency plan is prepared and maintained as part of their role in providing a safe environment for residents. My question is: when can Victorian residents of retirement homes expect these same protections?