Why Do We Need SARPRA?

In 2007, the Residential Parks Act was enacted on the back of work performed by the MP for the northern regions, Trish White.

At the time, there were three caravan parks: Hillier, The Palms, and NCRV. All three villages permitted long-term residents to live in the village, which was illegal under the Residential Tenancies Act, as all three were designated short-term caravan Parks.

The new Act paved the way for the lifestyle we now enjoy.

Resident committees needed to conform to the new Act, and SARPRA was created to address this need.

SARPRA set an annual membership fee of $10, and this has not changed in 16 years. Keeping it at this level has been accomplished through cost savings and sponsorship. The AGM and quarterly meetings are held at COTA in the city, and our monthly meetings are video conferences, saving time and travel costs.

We have three sponsors, all obtained through the hard work of our own Ant Taylor. He started with Elders, as we could see that our village setup was a
low-risk insurance option. Elders do offer other insurance, but the low-risk home and contents policies are discounted.

Our other sponsors are The Catalyst Foundation and the Ink Hub for all your computer ink requirements.

SARPRA has accomplished a lot, working with the government to improve residents’ living conditions and lifestyles.

We have formed a close alliance with MHOA- Victoria and are planning to link up with the Queensland Manufactured Homeowners Association. All three states would like to remove the option of owner/operators selecting the rent increase that provides the greatest return, fixed
percentage, or CPI. We believe that this is unfair. Another contentious issue is the so-called three-year or five-year market review, which allows the owner/manager to adjust site rents based on market trends. This review should be Independent and impartial to ensure fairness. Using their staff for
this may raise concerns about bias or conflicts of interest.

Expertise and Objectivity.

Ideally, market reviews
should be conducted by real estate, property valuation, and market analysis professionals.

Transparency is crucial. Residents should be informed about the methodology, data sources, and criteria used in the review. This does not occur.

Resident Input. Residents should have an opportunity to provide input during the review process. Their perspectives and concerns can help ensure a balanced outcome.