Housing News Digest
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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See notes about the Digest and a list of other contributors here. Many thanks to those contributors for sharing links with us.
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Archive
Ballina MP Tamara Smith speaks about community, and more of the issues close to her heart
Echo NetDaily (No paywall)Ballina MP Tamara Smith speaks about land lease communities and other issues.
https://www.echo.net.au/2020/11/ballina-mp-tamara-smith-speaks-a…
# Australia, Land lease communities, Regional NSW.Rental scams targeting more Australians during pandemic
Seniors Card Extra (No paywall)Australians have lost over $300,000 to rental and accommodation scams this year, an increase of 76 per cent compared to the same time last year.
http://enews.seniorscard.nsw.gov.au/pub/pubType/EO/pubID/zzzz5f9…
# Hot topic Australia, Discrimination, Older people.Post pandemic landlord-renter relationships in Australia
David Oswald, Trivess Moore and Emma Baker AHURI (No paywall)This report looks at post pandemic landlord-renter relationships in Australia. The research investigated the mental and economic wellbeing of landlords and tenants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. For landlords and tenants that have lost employment, had reduced income or are seeking employment, the pandemic leaves a challenging financial situation for meeting rent or mortgage payments.
https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/344?utm_source=w…
# Must read, Hot topic, Research alert Australia, Eviction, Rent, Campaigns and law reform, Coronavirus COVID-19, Home, Homelessness, Personal stories.I took the Reserve Bank boss' advice - and saved thousands off my mortgage
Greg Jericho The Guardian (No paywall)Philip Lowe told people to renegotiate or switch their mortgages to get a better deal. It worked for me ...
https://www.theguardian.com/business/commentisfree/2020/nov/21/i…
# Australia, Home ownership.HILDA report shows home ownership sliding, incomes falling and inequality rising’
Rod Myer The New Daily (No paywall)Australian households are stuck in a debt spiral with their debt rising faster than their asset base, according to a new report.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2020/11/19/hilda…
# Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19, Home ownership.John Collett
Crunch time looms for property investors on repayment holidays The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Investment property mortgages on deferral remain persistently high and a crunch may be looming that could result in forced sales.
https://www.smh.com.au/money/borrowing/crunch-time-looms-for-pro…
# Australia, Coronavirus COVID-19.Boost for renters as state pumps $800m into clean power
Michael Fowler The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Euan Thomas' rental home in Melbourne's east sometimes felt like living in two different climates. "It appeared that half the house was insulated. Our main bedroom was a hotbox in summer, then ...”
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/boost-for-renters-as-st…
# Australia, Rent, Utilities water energy internet.Premier's planning shake-up came after developers signed secret letter
Carrie Fellner The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Premier Gladys Berejiklian moved the Greater Sydney Commission under her control against the advice of a key departmental boss two months after a secret lobbying push by a group including big business and developers.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/premier-s-planning-shake-up-…
# Australia, Planning and development.