The Retirement Living Council Executive Director, Mary Wood, has given a rollcall of the Property Council advocacy efforts over the past few months.

• VIC: the government has released its Differential Rates Guidelines which specifically supports retirement villages. The Minister Heidi Victoria has intervened with activist councils and has also agreed to speak at a PCA event on 19 June
• NT: the PCA has got retirement villages recognised and included within the Planning Act and legislative schedule, with policies to encourage 50% discounts on power and water plus return domestic airfares to a capital city every two years for retirees
• QLD: the Minister, Tim Manding, will speak at a PCA breakfast on 22 May about the review of the Retirement Villages Act and the examination of the 37 recommendations made by the Parliamentary Committee
• NSW: the Minister, Anthony Roberts, led the discussion on the new Standard Contracts at a PCA breakfast held at MinterEllison
• SA: the PCA and Retirement Living Committee is making a submission to the Parliamentary Select Committee Review of the Retirement Villages Act announced by the Minister, Jack Snelling
• Federal: Mary Wood and Retirement Living Council chair Derek McMillan met in Canberra with Kevin Andrews, who is a Shadow Minister responsible for the social security system including the age pension. The discussion was around affordability of retirement villages and the asset test for the pension
• Federal: Mary Wood separately met with Bronwyn Bishop, Shadow Minister for Seniors, to discuss market distortions for investors in retirement villages