Labor’s announcement of new measures to improve rights for renters are welcome, and show the success the Greens have had in making this a key election issue. However we are disappointed Labor are still refusing to take the most critical step of all – protecting people from massive, unreasonable rent hikes.
The Greens have spent years campaigning for real change for renters. At every turn we’ve had Liberal and Labor politicians stand in our way. Just a few months ago we saw Labor vote with the Liberals to block our bill to improve to renters rights.
Despite the major parties’ reluctance to act for renters, we’ve kept on fighting – and with announcements on renters rights by both the Liberals and Labor this campaign, it shows we’ve successfully made this a major election issue.
Labor’s announcement is a big step in the right direction – and their proposed reforms are much better than what the Liberals have offered. But under their plan they will still allow people to be legally slugged with rent hikes of hundreds of dollars a week. That’s not OK.
The Greens will release our full plan for renters soon, but our position is very clear – any plan that doesn’t protect people from predatory, unreasonable rent hikes is a plan that doesn’t go far enough.
With a new government and the Greens in balance of power we will fight to make sure renters are a top priority, and that there’s finally action taken to stop them being forced into extreme hardship through huge rent increases.
