Shari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN, Author at Owners Corporation Network

Submission on electric vehicle provisions – Woollahra Council DCP 2015

Shari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-03-10T12:07:28+11:00

The Owners Corporation Network of Australia ltd (OCN) has provided a submission to inform the planning provisions for electric vehicle (EV) parking in the Woollahra Local Government area. Importantly, OCN was able to collate EV expertise and suggest DCP amendments to Council to ensure the local planning provisions are not more onerous than those required under the National Construction Code (NCC). Read Submission: 20250303 - Woollahra Council DCP 2015 - OCN [...]

Submission on electric vehicle provisions – Woollahra Council DCP 2015Shari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-03-10T12:07:28+11:00

Submission to Parliamentary Inquiry into Volunteering in Queensland

Shari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-03-10T12:09:18+11:00

On 27 February 2025, OCN provided a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Volunteering in Queensland. OCN urged the inquiry to consider the role of body corporate (strata) volunteers. OCN is seeking a fundamental change in how strata schemes operate in Queensland. Reflecting the government’s perspective, if volunteers are critical to the delivery of essential services, including public safety and disaster response then the role of strata managers together with volunteers [...]

Submission to Parliamentary Inquiry into Volunteering in QueenslandShari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-03-10T12:09:18+11:00

NSW Fair Trading investigation continues after Netstrata report released

Shari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-02-26T15:19:23+11:00

Shari Driver, CEO of the Owners Corporation of Australia Ltd (OCN), notes that today NSW Fair Trading released the report from the first stage of the investigation. We note that McGrathNicol identified: "Several potential conflicts of interest not disclosed by Netstrata to its clients including the personal relationships that employees of Netstrata had with suppliers. Highly saturated use of those related entity suppliers or suppliers with whom Netstrata had a commercial [...]

NSW Fair Trading investigation continues after Netstrata report releasedShari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-02-26T15:19:23+11:00

Legal Limbo in Wang Suspense

Shari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-02-21T17:15:01+11:00

Shari Driver, CEO of the Owners Corporation Network of Australia (OCN), said that “OCN is disappointed that the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) has upheld an earlier order that temporarily stayed the cancellation of Mr Whitney Hong Wang’s strata managing agent licence.” OCN has previously heard complaints from distressed strata owners alleging that Mr Wang has engaged in inappropriate and unethical conduct. For now, this means that many owners corporations [...]

Legal Limbo in Wang SuspenseShari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-02-21T17:15:01+11:00

Body corporate legal battle over red roof ‘ludicrous’ waste of money

Shari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-03-26T12:16:03+11:00

OCN Director, Chris Irons says the dispute between an owner and a body corporate over roof colour should never have reached Queensland's Body Corporate and Community Management Commission (BCCM), which involves significant legal fees. Guest: Chris Irons, Director of the Owners Corporation Network Listen to interview with Steve Austin (from 1:05:30):https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/brisbane-mornings/mornings/104855614 Related article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-29/former-body-corporate-commissioner-condemns-red-roof-dispute/104867928

Body corporate legal battle over red roof ‘ludicrous’ waste of moneyShari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-03-26T12:16:03+11:00

Watchdog promises report as NetStrata probe continues

Shari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-03-10T12:17:29+11:00

On 28 January 2025, Insurance News reported that "Groups including the Owners Corporation Network have called for the urgent release of the report summary. “Consumers expect transparency and to know that due process has been followed. The NSW government needs to quell the concerns that have been raised by the ABC article,” network CEO Shari Driver said. “Everyone needs to have certainty and confidence in the management of the strata industry.” [...]

Watchdog promises report as NetStrata probe continuesShari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-03-10T12:17:29+11:00

OCN reviews the upside and downside to this $3.2m Sydney apartment

Shari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-03-10T12:22:35+11:00

The Sydney Morning Herald recruited a range of independent architects, academics, builders and other experts to review apartments near completion or new to the market with an eye to market trends, policy, reliability, sustainability, quality, layout and amenities. The Herald’s first review was of a large four-bedroom family apartment, a type which is in growing demand yet hard to find. OCN was quoted in the Herald article as follows: "What the strata expert [...]

OCN reviews the upside and downside to this $3.2m Sydney apartmentShari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-03-10T12:22:35+11:00

Strata consumer groups expect a defendable government report about Netstrata

Shari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-01-24T20:12:28+11:00

The Owners Corporation Network (OCN), the Australian Consumers Insurance Lobby (ACIL), and the Unit Owners Association Queensland (UOAQ) are all deeply concerned to hear that Netstrata may have sought to influence the outcome of the NSW Government’s investigation into alleged malpractice by Netstrata. In 2024, an enforceable undertaking was entered into by Netstrata with NSW Fair Trading to provide for a review of Netstrata (and their subsidiaries) business processes, practices and [...]

Strata consumer groups expect a defendable government report about NetstrataShari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-01-24T20:12:28+11:00

Principles for Reforming the Strata Industry

Shari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-02-03T09:56:25+11:00

On Wednesday 27 November 2024, the Owners Corporation Network of Australia (OCN) was invited by NSW Fair Trading to attend a forum about insurance commissions, together with the insurance industry, academics, lawyers and other parties. Subsequently, on 20 December 2024, OCN took the opportunity to summarise our views on what success looks like, from a consumer’s perspective by listing the following Principles for Reforming the Strata Industry (and insurance commissions): A [...]

Principles for Reforming the Strata IndustryShari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2025-02-03T09:56:25+11:00

The brutal world of owners corporations – and how to get them to electrify apartments

Shari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2024-12-13T09:27:53+11:00

Fred Tuckwell, strata management expert and board chair of the Owners Corporation Network (OCN) spoke to the Fifth Estate recently about OCN's clear sustainability vision, aimed at creating “a better future in residential strata and community living and ownership … [with] resilient, empowered communities living in climate ready, defect free buildings.” OCN have assisted the NSW Government in creating guidelines for making strata buildings EV ready. Read Full Article: https://thefifthestate.com.au/energy-lead/the-brutal-world-of-owners-corporations-and-how-to-get-them-to-electrify-apartments/ Related Content: [...]

The brutal world of owners corporations – and how to get them to electrify apartmentsShari Driver - Chief Executive Officer - OCN2024-12-13T09:27:53+11:00

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