Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Faruqi for the question. I saw that report released today and I think it confirms what all of us know—that is, a lot of people across Australia are doing it tough right now, including in finding rental places to live and being able to afford the rents being asked. That is precisely why the government in the last budget increased the Commonwealth rent assistance by its largest margin in the last 30 years, and it is why we increased and adjusted payments for those on JobSeeker and other payments, including parenting payment single, considerably in light of the pressure that people are under.

I would say that there is a very significant piece of work underway through national cabinet, where the Prime Minister has shown the leadership that's required to work with all of the states and territories to improve rights for renters, and there's quite a significant reform agenda there. I would also point out that there isn't one jurisdiction in the country, and I don't believe there is any leader of any jurisdiction in the country that believes a rent freeze is actually the way to go, but we do accept that we need to look at and address rights for renters, which is why that agenda is being led through national cabinet, the outcomes of which were announced, I think, at their last meeting.

The underlying issue here is supply, supply, supply. Talk to anybody in the industry, whether it be in the community sector, whether it be in the housing sector or whether it be in the construction sector and they will say the issue here is supply. As senators know, we have an extremely ambitious agenda around generating supply of housing across the country.