Housing News Digest
The Tenants' Union Housing News Digest compiles our pick of items from all the latest tenancy and housing media, sent once per week, on Thursdays.
Below is the Digest archive from November 2020 onwards. From time to time you will find additional items in the archive that did not make it into the weekly Digest email. Earlier archives are here, where you can also find additional digests by other organisations.
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Archive
Rent freezes off the table in NSW as new government focuses on bonds and bidding
Paige Cockburn ABC (No paywall)Rent reforms designed to even the playing field for tenants will be introduced in the New South Wales parliament this week, but there will be no relief for those facing soaring rents.
The new Minns government is prioritising a proposed ban on secret rent bidding and a portable bond scheme amid the worsening rental crisis gripping the state.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-08/rent-caps-ruled-out-nsw-b…
# Hot topic, TUNSW in the media Australia, Campaigns and law reform, Federal Government, Housing affordability.NSW moves to end ‘secret’ rental bidding and bring in portable bonds scheme
Tamsin Rose The Guardian (No paywall)A plan to reform the “unfair rental laws” in New South Wales will be introduced to parliament by the Minns government on Wednesday in a bid to ease cost-of-living pressures for two million renters.
The rental legislation would allow bonds to be transferred from one property to the next and seeks to close loopholes in the existing ban on rent bidding.
By requiring owners and agents to notify all applicants if they receive a higher offer, the government hopes to end the practice of “secret” rent bidding.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/09/nsw-moves…
# Hot topic Australia, Campaigns and law reform, Federal Government, Housing affordability.Julie Collins on fixing Australia’s housing crisis – Australian Politics podcast
Paul Karp The Guardian (No paywall)Australian housing minister Julie Collins joins chief political correspondent Paul Karp to discuss what the government is proposing to help people afford housing as the cost-of-living crisis puts more people under pressure. They discuss the possibility of rent freezes, improving renters’ rights and when she thinks they’ll be able to pass Labor’s housing accord
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audio/2023/may/06/jul…
# Hot topic, Audio Australia, Affordable housing, Federal Government, Housing market.What's in the federal budget to help ease the housing affordability crisis?
Maani Truu ABC (No paywall)Whether you're trying to keep up with runaway rent increases, hoping to break into the market for the first time, or struggling to budget for mortgage repayments, it's clear Australia is in the midst of a housing affordability crisis.
It's no surprise, then, that the issue featured in Treasurer Jim Chalmers's speech as he handed down his second budget to parliament. "For too long, secure, affordable housing has been out of reach for too many Australians," he said.
So is there anything new in Tuesday's budget aimed at relieving some of the pressure? Let's take a look.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-09/housing-affordability-cri…
# Hot topic Australia, Federal Government, Housing affordability, Housing market.RBA's rate hikes creating inflation, Ross Garnaut says, calling for radical overhaul of economic policy
Gareth Hutchens ABC (No paywall)Australia's economy has become increasingly dominated by powerful firms that are extracting "economic rents" from the system, economist Ross Garnaut is warning.
Their market dominance has contributed to declining real incomes for workers, has made our cost-of-living crisis worse, and is undermining productivity growth, he says.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-05/ross-garnaut-rate-hikes-f…
# Must read, Hot topic Australia, Federal Government, Housing affordability, Housing market.Federal budget 2023: $4 billion to cover wage increases for vital services in budget
Adrian Rollins Canberra Times (Paywall)The federal government will pump an extra $4 billion to help pay the wages bill for government and community organisations providing critical services to the elderly, veterans, survivors of family violence and other vulnerable groups.
The budget is expected to include a measure providing extra funds to support the indexation of wages for workers on programs including Commonwealth Home Support, Veteran Home Services, community legal centres, First Nations healthcare, social housing and homelessness services, programs to reduce violence against women and chronic disease support.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8185553/services-for-vuln…
# Hot topic Australia, Campaigns and law reform, Federal Government, Housing affordability.No silver bullet for renters: housing minister
Rachel Clun WA Today (No paywall)Housing Minister Julie Collins has admitted the federal government has “no silver bullet” to deal with soaring rents and widespread housing shortages as tenants’ rights groups demand all states and territories end no-fault evictions.
But the real estate industry hit back, saying calls to control rent rises and lock in tenancies would force landlords out of the market and do nothing to address supply shortages.
https://www.watoday.com.au/politics/federal/no-silver-bullet-for…
# Hot topic Australia, Rent, Housing affordability, Housing market.Michael Pascoe: Stop growing the landlord class and focus on ‘taboo’ public housing
Michael Pascoe The New Daily (No paywall)Funny thing about the various state and federal governments responses to the housing crisis: They don’t mention “public housing”.
“Affordable housing” is all the rage, “social housing” certainly gets a look in and “build-to-rent” is popular, but “public housing” – housing owned directly by government – seems to have been culture-cancelled other than in the context of Anthony Albanese’s “log cabin” story.
Labor governments are giving a good impression of having adopted the discredited Jason Falinski aversion to “houso”, despite it still being the main source of shelter for people priced out of private property.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/2023/05/06/michael-pascoe-pub…
# Must read, Hot topic Australia, Public and community housing, Affordable housing, Federal Government.