Apartment owners need transparency, accountability, and safety — it’s time for national strata law reform.

Owning an apartment in Australia has become far more challenging than many of us anticipated. 

Strata living is one of the fastest-growing forms of property ownership in Australia, yet the legal and governance framework has not kept pace. Apartment owners across the country face unfair, non-transparent, and poorly regulated strata management practices, including excessive fees, lack of access to records, and limited recourse when misconduct occurs. Hidden or excessive fees, poor governance, and lack of accountability drain finances and erode trust in strata living.

At the same time, there is a governance crisis in many schemes. Lot owners are often powerless to challenge bullying, harassment, intimidation, or slander by strata managers or committee members, leaving them silenced or marginalised in their own homes. With the number of strata buildings rapidly increasing across Australia, the risks of unchecked misconduct and mismanagement grow exponentially.

Homes should be safe, not battlegrounds.

 
What Needs to Change

The NSW Government has recently introduced the largest overhaul of strata laws in decades, with key changes phased in from July 1, 2025, through 2026. These reforms:

Key Highlights:

• Transparency: Minutes of meetings must be provided within 14 days.
• Minor Renovations: Committees must respond in writing within 3 months or approval is automatic.
• Sustainability: By-laws cannot block solar panels or other sustainable infrastructure; AGMs must include sustainability agendas.
• Accessibility: Changes for disability access now require only a majority vote.
• Fair Contracts: Unfair terms in service contracts are prohibited.

While NSW reforms provide a valuable model, significant issues persist nationwide, including bullying, harassment, poor accountability, and unclear recourse for apartment owners. This highlights the urgent need for national strata reform.

While these reforms are an important step forward, strata challenges extend far beyond NSW and far beyond the reforms introduced by the NSW Government. Apartment owners across Australia deserve clear, enforceable rights, ethical governance standards, and protections from harassment and bullying in all states and territories.

We would like to call on both State and Federal governments to implement comprehensive strata reforms, including:

• Full transparency and accountability for strata managers and committees
• Statutory governance standards mandating ethical, respectful, and lawful conduct
• Anti-bullying, harassment, and slander protections for lot owners
• A dedicated strata ombudsman in each state/territory, allowing complaints to be addressed before approaching tribunals
• Clearer definitions of misconduct and stronger regulations on fees and decision-making

Strata communities are homes, and with the rapid growth of apartment living across Australia, national reform is urgent.

 
Why Your Voice Matters
Apartment owners deserve fairness, safety, and security in their homes. By signing this petition, you join a national call for comprehensive strata reform, ensuring apartment owners are protected from exploitation, harassment, misconduct, and financial harm.

Sign this petition now to demand immediate strata law reform across Australia and ensure fairness, safety, and accountability for all apartment owners.