This article discusses the importance of effective advocacy for strata lot owners across Australia. If you’ve ever wondered how to make your voice heard, this information will assist to get you started.
Strata reform is gaining momentum across Australia as owners, managers and industry bodies call for fairer, more consistent legislation. At last week’s LookUpStrata webinar, Chris Irons and David Glover from the Owners Corporation Network of Australia (OCN) explored how advocacy works in strata and why every voice matters. The discussion had a strong national focus, showing that the lessons of advocacy go far beyond any single state.
The session highlighted the importance of owners and stakeholders taking part in conversations that shape policy. Advocacy, Chris and David explained, is not just lobbying or complaints. It is the deliberate, persistent effort to ensure that the experiences of those living and working in strata communities are heard where it counts most, in the halls of government and in the public debate about housing and community life.
NAT: Raise your voice – how and why advocacy happens in strata | Chris Irons and David Glover, Owners Corporation Network of Australia (OCN) – October 2025
Why advocacy matters
Chris and David began by defining advocacy as the practical process of influencing change through evidence, experience and persistence. In strata, this means ensuring that policy makers understand the realities of apartment living, and that laws reflect the needs of those who maintain and manage these communities every day.
They reminded attendees that many of the major improvements to strata law over the past decade, such as clearer financial accountability and better dispute resolution processes, were driven by a combination of industry pressures, government priorities and community advocacy. The work of owner groups and engaged stakeholders had a significant influence on how the changes took shape. Through ongoing submissions, data sharing and constructive engagement with government, advocacy helped to guide the direction and detail of those reforms.
Advocacy is also about shifting perceptions. Strata housing now represents one of the fastest growing forms of property ownership in Australia, yet public understanding of how strata schemes operate remains limited. OCN’s work aims to bridge that gap by giving owners a collective voice that governments cannot ignore.
How change happens
David explained that effective advocacy depends on credible information and respectful engagement. Governments respond best to evidence and practical solutions, not emotion or complaint. He encouraged attendees to think of advocacy as a long-term process that requires patience and collaboration rather than confrontation.
Chris added that advocacy often begins with identifying an issue at the ground level. When multiple schemes across different regions raise similar concerns, these patterns become a foundation for policy reform. He also noted that successful advocacy balances passion with professionalism. While lived experience gives advocacy its heart, well researched arguments give it strength.
Collaboration is essential. Advocacy is not the work of one person or one group. It succeeds when owners, committees, managers and professional bodies share insights and push in the same direction.
Lessons from OCN’s work
Throughout the session, Chris and David drew on examples of OCN’s advocacy efforts across several states. They described how coordinated submissions, backed by case studies and independent research, have helped to secure tangible reforms in areas such as building quality, insurance transparency and consumer protections.
They also spoke about the power of persistence. Some advocacy campaigns take years before they result in legislative change, but consistent communication with decision makers builds credibility and trust. “You do not need to win every battle to make a difference,” David said, highlighting that progress often happens step by step.
The presenters acknowledged that advocacy requires time and commitment but stressed that the impact can be significant. Even small contributions, such as responding to consultation papers or attending information sessions, can help shape the policy environment that affects every strata community.
What owners and managers can do
The webinar covered some clear, practical guidance for attendees who want to support advocacy in their own strata communities:
- Stay informed about local and national reforms through reliable industry sources.
- Participate in consultations and surveys run by government departments and strata organisations.
- Encourage committees to document challenges and share them with advocacy groups like OCN.
- Focus on facts, not frustration, when communicating with decision makers.
- Support fair, evidence based policy discussions within your own strata community.
They reminded attendees that advocacy is most powerful when it is collective. The more voices that share consistent messages, the more likely it is that policy makers will listen.
A national conversation
OCN’s national advocacy efforts reflects how the organisation works with government departments, research institutions and industry professionals across Australia to ensure that reforms are informed by real experience. The presenters encouraged attendees to think beyond their own postcode and see strata advocacy as a unifying cause for better housing outcomes everywhere.
Moving forward
Chris and David concluded with a clear message. Advocacy in strata is not optional, it is necessary. Without a strong, informed voice, owners risk having decisions made for them rather than with them. By working together, sharing knowledge and engaging respectfully with government, the strata sector can continue to evolve in ways that protect owners, support managers and strengthen communities.
They also reminded attendees that advocacy is ongoing. Every submission, every discussion and every shared story helps to build momentum for fairer, more transparent and more sustainable strata living across Australia.
Download the slides
Link to presentation slide: Raise your voice – how and why advocacy happens in strata
This national webinar offered a rare behind the scenes look at how advocacy shapes the strata sector. It was a motivating discussion about influence, persistence and collaboration. This is an essential session for anyone who wants to understand how real change happens in strata and how to be part of it.
Chris Irons & David Glover Owners Corporation Network of Australia (OCN) E: enquiries@ocn.org.au
This post appears in Strata News #765.
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