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  • #9129
    Jimmy-T
    Keymaster

      This is the comment piece that ran alongside the news story in the Herald on November 4.

      ‘Lord, give me the courage to change what I can, the serenity to endure what I can’t and the wisdom to know the difference’.  It would be easy to imagine Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts has some version of the Serenity Prayer taped to his desk.

      After more than a year of consultation, with everyone from professional bodies and pressure groups to single-issue obsessive nutters having their say, his roadmap for the proposed revolution in strata law is on the table, albeit in broad strokes rather than line by line detail.

      From possible bans on smoking on balconies to secret ballots and an end to the blight of proxy farming, this is a huge step forward for a state where one third of the population lives or works in strata, that proportion rising to half in the next 20 years.

      The Labor party never quite embraced the importance of strata owners and residents – as opposed to developers and their mates –  and as the conga-line of corruption weaves it way through ICAC, you can understand why.

      Even so, it’s a little surprising that a politician from the Coalition has driven what is possibly the state’s single most significant social reform so far this Century.  But Anthony Roberts knows it’s not often that an individual politician of any hue gets a chance to change society.

      Forget that he’s from the Right; as the American political adage goes, only Nixon could go to China.

      So what do these changes mean? They range from the hot-button issues like pets, smoking and noisy flooring to fundamental adjustments to the way those of us who live in strata – and Mr Roberts is one of us – run our communities.

      But the big picture shows a return to democracy for what the minister himself calls the fourth tier of government. Strata managers, building managers and letting agents will not be able to sit on executive committees but tenants will (and you can hear owners’ quills being angrily sharpened at that one.)

      Unachievable quorum numbers for meetings are being removed and we will be able to use smartphones and tablets not just to vote but actually participate in discussions via the internet. The autocratic chairman ruling his or her personal fiefdom with a stack of proxy votes is about deleted by a wired constituency where the majority – tenants – need no longer be silent.

      Admittedly extinguishment of strata title – aka urban regeneration or greedy developers throwing granny out of her flat, depending on your POV – was not on the menu.  Neither were short term lets in residential buildings or the inability to clamp or tow rogue parkers.

      But these issues intersect with several other government departments, requiring a lot of political horse trading before any new laws can be locked down.

      It’s to the minister’s credit that he’s applied the pragmatism of the Serenity Prayer to this task, changing the things that he can while at least moving those pricklier issues from the too-hard basket to the back burner.

      The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
    Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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    • #20014
      ccbaxter
      Flatchatter

        I read the news story and the comment piece (both written by a certain Jimmy Thompon, if I’m not wrong).

        I’m glad all this is being looked at but where can I see the latest please? Doesn’t sound like it’s at all done’n’dusted, any further chances to contribute? Any possibility of posting a link?

        Pets are good, but I’m worried about the welfare of pets in apartments. We have an exotic cat residing opposite us and when its owner, a thirty-ish single girl who works long hours, the poor moggy meows for hours. It’s disturbing as it seems distressed, not so much because of the noise. Downstairs, there’s the cutest small dog and the the owner-couple not only work long hours but also go to the gym, running and cycling without Fido. He’s pretty well behaved and they have a dog walker for an hour every weekday (which must cost a bit) but the poor little fella must get awfully lonely.

        Must be comforting but seems self indulgent, having a pet in an apartment to me. If only they could talk. “Pleeesaaaassssseee don’t leave me alone today…”

        #20032
        RTNQ
        Flatchatter

          I agree pets are not for apartments, I once have a dog when i used to live in a house and when we decide to sell and rent an apartment i find it so hard because its so unfair for the dog that i love and care for 16 years, she’s well behave and she don’t bark as much, but no matter how well train your dog is they will have accident meaning wee and poo with the small space that we have while we are renting that means the whole place smell. We try our best to take her out when the kids get home from school and when we finish work but its not enough, dogs and cats need space and with our busy life style its selfish and its not fair for the pet itself, I know some people who wants to have a dog while renting in a apartment, they can’t even take their kids out to the park as well as get their washing off the washing line on daily basis, can you imagine if they have a dog. 

          #20038
          giri
          Flatchatter

            the following appeared in your article ‘Strata managers, building managers and letting agents will not be able to sit on executive committees’. does this mean they won’t be able to attend exec meetings or that they won’t be able to be an exec committee member?

            #20040
            Jimmy-T
            Keymaster
            Chat-starter

              @giri said:
              ‘Strata managers, building managers and letting agents will not be able to sit on executive committees’. does this mean they won’t be able to attend exec meetings or that they won’t be able to be an exec committee member?

              The details of these issues haven’t been published yet but my understanding is that they can still attend the meeting and contribute to it but they won’t be able to be a member of the committee and vote in either in their own capacity or as proxies for absent EC members. 

              The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
              #20114

               …why is she still there? – lease is up very soon & she is out! 

              Don’t forget that you still have to give her 30 days notice that you are planning to end the agreement when it runs out, otherwise it will roll over from a fixed term agreement to a periodic agreement under which termination without grounds will require a 90-day agreement.

              #20125

              @Strata Plan of 4 by the beach said:
               …why is she still there? – lease is up very soon & she is out! 

              Don’t forget that you still have to give her 30 days notice that you are planning to end the agreement when it runs out, otherwise it will roll over from a fixed term agreement to a periodic agreement under which termination without grounds will require a 90-day agreement.

              Thanks for that reminder although I am well aware of that & have a calendar posted on the fridge where I am crossing off the days. I will give her 42 days notice to be exact to be more than fair over the Christmas/holiday period. Unfortunately, I am unable to talk to her about her indiscretions & work things out as all my attempts so far have met with weak excuses, odd rationales & argumentative behaviour as well as blatently ignoring my instructions about caring for the property to avoid damage or information about the rules etc – apparently she knows better than I do.

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