October: the month of strata conferences

October could well be dubbed “Strata Conference Month”, with all corners of the sector hosting their own gatherings.

Early in the month, SCA (Vic) – an organisation supporting OC managers – held its annual Victorian Symposium, a two-day event at Marvel Stadium, supported by major insurance sponsors, CHU and Whitbread. Later in the month, the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) hosted its Owners’ Corporation Conference, which included a session with the Expert Panel reviewing the Owners’ Corporations Act 2006.

Both events were slick and professionally run – but one couldn’t help noticing that the lived-experience voice of strata residents was largely absent. The conversations were about – not by – the people who actually live in strata.

That’s where the Owners Corporation Network (OCN) National Strata Conference comes in. This event is designed for owners and residents – the people who pay the levies, sit on committees, and live with the outcomes.

Its sessions tackled issues that truly hit (our) home: building defects, EV-charging provisions, insurance affordability, and how communities can work together for fairer, more transparent governance.

It’s long overdue to see a spotlight on this side of strata life. Owners’ corporations have too often been the quiet end of the housing sector, even as more and more Victorians make their homes in apartments and townhouses.

The one downside for us?

The OCN conference is held in NSW – largely because that state has paid much greater attention to residential strata.

However, with the Victorian Government now earmarking Activity Centres – areas around train stations, tram lines, and major transport hubs – for significant residential growth, strata living is no longer a niche concern. It’s becoming central to how our city will function.

Add to that the current review of the Owners Corporations Act – with the formal process well under way and reforms on the horizon – and it’s clear this once-overlooked sector can no longer be filed under “too hard.”

As for OCN, its growing national presence suggests that owners and residents across Australia are finally being heard. And who knows – as the organisation expands, perhaps next year’s national conference will head south to Victoria. After all, we’ve got plenty of strata stories to tell – and plenty still to fix.

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