SCA Advocacy Round-up

The SCA Advocacy Round-Up pulls out the advocacy highlights from SCA nationally, in each state and territory and in New Zealand.

As we move beyond the halfway point of the year, here we take a look back at what we’ve done, as well as look forward to what the remainder of 2022 has in store.

If you would like more information on any of the activities included below, please contact Shaun Brockman, National Policy and Advocacy Manager, shaun.brockman@strata.community

National

Following the federal election, SCA has been focused on continuing the momentum solidified in the first half of the year, taking advantage of the incoming government and newly formed parliament to achieve positive outcomes for the strata industry moving forward.

The Albanese Government is set to hand out a revised 2022-2023 budget on the 25th of October, where we will see many of the Albanese Government’s pre-election promises implemented. SCA is making it a priority to establish SCA as a ‘ground floor’ stakeholder in the Albanese Government’s new strategies, and plans to be a consistent contributor to all things strata and property related.

SCA is also excited to announce that the development of the 2022 Strata Insights report is well underway. The 2022 Strata Insights report, compiled each second calendar year, gives SCA and the wider industry access to comprehensive data on the makeup of sector, and provides a significant amount of utility in advocacy activities, media publicity and developing government relations. SCA is eager to discover and share with the rest of the industry the growth of the sector over the past two years, especially considering the market conditions since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

SCA (ACT) has seen some positive, tangible outcomes as a direct result of ongoing advocacy efforts in the past few months, particularly concerning the issue that is front and centre for strata in the nation’s capital, cladding.

After attending the joint OCN/SCA Flammable Cladding Public Forum, and following a significant amount of media coverage led by SCA (ACT), Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee raised the issue of cladding action stagnancy in parliament, calling on the current government for both increased urgency and transparency.

Following an extended push for the Government to forge ahead with their commitments to financially assist at-risk consumers, the ACT Government have since released the details of the Private Buildings Concessional Loan Scheme.

Alongside this issue, SCA is maintaining its focus on the Unit Title Reform Consultative Group, who are continuing to work through reformatory issues that SCA (ACT) is optimistic will end up in legislation at the end of this year.

New Zealand (NZ)

After a long and arduous process, involving a significant amount of consultation and advocacy from SCA (NZ), the Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2022 (Amendment Act) ascended on 9 May 2022, with an implementation date of up to two years.

In that time however, SCA (NZ) and other principles of the strata management industry in NZ are continuing to lobby the NZ Government to institute parts of the legislation earlier. This would include bringing forward changes to the legislation like those that allow for online body corporate meetings to be held full time moving forward.

SCA (NZ) is excited to direct a number of valuable training events for members throughout the rest of 2022, continuing to drive the standard of education and skills of Body Corporate and Multi-Unit Management stakeholders throughout New Zealand.

Queensland (Qld)

SCA (Qld) continues to be an active participant in the Community Titles Legislation Working Group convened by the Attorney-General to help reform our Queensland’s strata legislation over this term of Government. Covering the full breadth of issues across our sector, SCA (Qld) continues to devote substantial time, energy and resources to putting forward best practice reforms.

In light of SCA (Qld)’s desire to consult widely to ensure best practice, we recently held a strata hackathon. The hackathon brought together dozens of strata leaders in one room discussing reform to ensure that the best ideas from across industry could be brought to government under our banner as the peak body.

SCA (Qld) is also a key contributor to changes to the Building Units and Group Titles Act 1980 (BUGTA). This bill is particularly exciting to see as it represents the most extensive legislative changes to the Queensland strata sector in decades. With appropriate change drafted in as a result of intense SCA (Qld) advocacy this should be a positive step for the sector.

Insurance affordability and availability issues continue to plague our state’s North. Whilst the Northern Australia Reinsurance Pool has been legislated, we are yet to see its effects flow through to consumers. SCA (Qld) will also continue to push for appropriate tax changes and mitigation funding from the State Government.

In the coming months, SCA (Qld) also understands that the consultation process to formulate the Government’s strategy for future dangerous cladding rectification will go ahead, with SCA (Qld) expecting to make critical contributions to ensure that an effective solution is delivered.

South Australia/Northern Territory (SA/NT)

With the recent introduction of the Malinauskas government in South Australia, a core priority of SCA (SA/NT)’s advocacy efforts has been to foster strong relationships with MPs within the newly elected cabinet. Changing government and shifting portfolios has made it difficult at times for SCA to pursue its advocacy agenda, but the team has consistently delivered a message to each incoming minister and set of relevant MPs.

Like other jurisdictions, cladding remains a primary policy issue for SCA and the wider strata industry, and the SCA (SA/NT) Cladding Taskforce continues to push for greater financial and administrative assistance from the Government. SCA (SA/NT) expects to see some significant movement from the government regarding the issue of supporting the rectification of dangerous cladding in the future.

Tasmania (Tas)

SCA (Tas) has made significant breakthroughs over the past few months, as the strata titles environment continues to grow in Australia’s southernmost state. In particular, SCA (Tas) is pleased to note that SCA (Tas) President Sally Bevis recently made a successful application for relief into the land titles office, a significant decision that will now allow the recorder of titles to enforce the uptake of strata insurance, to combat the issue of under and non-insurance in strata schemes across the state.

Back in March, SCA (Tas) provided a comprehensive submission to the Recorder of Titles, surrounding the proposed amendments to the Strata Titles Act 1998, the core piece of legislation that governs strata in Tasmania.

SCA (Tas) is continuing to monitor the progress of this consultation, and is expecting a response to the feedback offered by SCA (Tas) and other industry stakeholders to be provided in the very near future. The (proposed) amendments are a result of a lengthy consultation process by the State Government, the design of which has the potential to substantially shift the strata titles landscape in Tasmania.

Victoria (Vic)

SCA (Vic) continues to sustain a seat at the table as a key property peak in the state, which provides regular opportunity for input on issues affecting strata, including ongoing meetings with Consumer Affairs Victoria as well as the Victorian Building Authority. SCA (Vic) has also had a hand in contributing a number of submissions over the past months, including (but not limited to) the Victorian property market review and Victoria’s emissions reduction target for 2035.

Like NSW, Victoria also has an election on the horizon (coming sooner), having been scheduled for 26 November 2022. SCA (Vic) will build on many of the issues advocated by SCA National in their federal election campaign, while concentrating significant attention on improving Victoria specific strata issues. SCA (Vic)’s goal is to create Stronger, Smarter, Strata, through addressing areas of the industry including (but not limited to) creating more sustainable strata communities, reducing the prevalence of buildings defects and improving the overall support for staff in the industry.

Western Australia (WA)

Over the past few months, SCA (WA) has made meaningful progress tackling a long list of issues facing the strata industry in Western Australia, including the amendments to the Strata Titles Act 1985, and readjusting educational pathways for strata managers.

SCA (WA) continues to maintain its valuable working relationship with Landgate, the Western Australian Government’s Land Information Authority. Through this relationship, SCA (WA) is able to be associated with a direct voice to Government, who values the perspective of our expert volunteers. It is through this mechanism that SCA (WA) develops momentum towards positive change, as it allows the expression and cultivation of concrete solutions to the problems facing the strata environment in Western Australia.