In New Zealand, its former Seniors Minister Tracey Martin has been appointed to represent residents on the governing group of the Retirement Villages Association.
The association, which represents the owners and operators of retirement villages, said the appointment of Ms Martin was meeting its commitment to roll out a range of improvements for residents in retirement villages.
Her role is designed to provide retirement village residents with an effective voice in the sector’s governance, the association said, and is a month after Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson recommended to Jacinda Ardern’s Government an urgent review of the Retirement Villages Act and associated regulations.
Ms Wrightson said residents had less consumer protections than tenants, the balance of power was in favour of village operators and that needed addressing and residents’ rights needed to be clearer and strengthened.
