Webb, E. ‘Pay-TV Issue Rocks Village,’ Lilydale and Yarra Valley Leader, June 09, 2008, p. 3

Battle lines are being drawn at a Lilydale retirement village as residents demand the right to choose their own pay-
TV.
Two hundred units at Tudor Village in Maroondah Highway don’t have appropriate cabling to access popular pay-TV
services such as Foxtel and SelectTV.
The residents are also angry that they are not allowed to install satellite dishes on their properties.
Residents Association vice-president John Turner, 81, said their independence was being taken away by the lack of
choice in the TV services they could access.
“There’s not much on free-to-air television and lots of people at the village have told me they want to watch things
like movies and more sport,’’ Mr. Turner said.
“There are many here who are on their own or can’t go out like they used to and television is a companion to them.
It’s a sad situation when the management makes decisions for us. This is meant to be independent living.’’
Further angering residents is the planned construction of 30 units that will have suitable cabling for pay-TV.
Edna Taylor, 80, said it was a terrible situation.
“I am widowed and I like to watch television. I have seen what’s on offer on pay-TV at my children’s homes and it is
wonderful. I feel deprived,’’ Mrs. Taylor said.
“The houses and land are ours. Why are we being told what to do?’’ she said.
Ron McKay, 76, said the issue was about freedom of choice.
“The new unit owners will be able to have it so what about the rest of us? It feels like a prison but even prisoners
get Foxtel,’’ Mr. McKay said.
Chief executive Geoffrey Reeve, of the Balwyn-based company Pinnacle Living that owns Tudor Village, declined to
answer Leader’s questions other than to say the residents were aware of the situation and “did not like what they
were being told.”
Five other retirement villages in the shire contacted by Leader all allow residents access to their own pay-TV
subscriptions.