The decision follows a Legislative Assembly Committee process examining the establishment of a Strata Commissioner - an ACT Labor election commitment, backed by a Supply and Confidence Agreement to extend oversight across strata-titled dwellings, including retirement villages.
While there was broad support for the creation of a Strata Commissioner to strengthen protections for apartment and townhouse residents, the Committee ultimately agreed that retirement villages should remain outside its scope.
Attorney-General Tara Cheyne told the Committee that the Property Council had done "a terrific job" hosting regular retirement village forums, which were attended by the ACT Discrimination, Health Services, Disability and Community Services Commissioner. These forums meant that village residents were aware of avenues available to them.
"Those relationships mean that it is made clear to those who are in those occupancy arrangements what pathways exist when they need to seek a resolution. I think it is working well, and I think the knowledge of it and access to it are growing," she said.
"I do not want to tinker with something that is working."
Property Council ACT Executive Director Ashlee Berry said the Committee's position was a sensible outcome that recognised the strength of the existing retirement village engagement model.
"Retirement village residents, operators, regulators and industry already have clear channels to raise issues, work through concerns and improve outcomes," Ms Berry said.
"The ACT model works because people are in the room together, problems are surfaced early and solutions are shaped collaboratively."
Ms Berry said the Property Council would continue to support forums that build trust and strengthen awareness of existing pathways.
RLC Executive Director Daniel Gannon said the outcome reinforces a key principle - that retirement living operates under a distinct framework and should not be treated as strata.
"It's a clear recognition that retirement villages are not strata and shouldn't be regulated like they are," he said.
"We already have well-established processes, strong transparency settings and direct engagement between residents, operators and regulators.
"When you layer a new system over an existing one that's working, you don't get better outcomes - you get confusion. Residents need clarity, not competing pathways."
The Committee also heard from the ACT Discrimination, Health Services, Disability and Community Services Commissioner that retirement villages already have visible and established processes for resolving issues, with concerns that adding another avenue could replicate - rather than improve - existing systems.
Mr Gannon said the decision reflects a practical, evidence-based approach from government.
"This is what good policy looks like - listening to the evidence, recognising what's working and resisting the urge to regulate for the sake of it," he said.
"Retirement villages are delivering for residents, and this decision gives confidence that the regulatory settings will continue to support that."
