Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, Senator Gallagher. Australia is in a rental and housing crisis, and research released today confirms that yet again, loudly and clearly. A person on JobSeeker, with a mere $22,000 in income, is forced to spend at least 78 per cent of their income to rent a one-bedroom apartment in any capital city and 100 per cent of their income on rent in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Canberra. Many areas across the country are the most unaffordable they've ever been, with rent becoming 13 per cent less affordable in Sydney and 10 per cent less affordable in Melbourne and Perth this year. In cities and regions, more families are living in tents. More people are forced to live in their cars after applying for hundreds of rental properties. Minister, will you finally act and coordinate a freeze on rental increases?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to 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.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Faruqi, a first supplementary?

Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

While thousands of Australians are struggling to afford to keep a roof over their heads, why is Labor's position that rent should go up indefinitely?

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

(—) (): That is not Labor's position. That is you asserting that that is Labor's position but that is not Labor's position. As I have said, no state or territory supports rent freezes, nor do experts in the housing market, including National Shelter; none of them support a rental freeze. Our policies are around boosting supply of all housing to make it easier to buy or rent. An independent analysis of our supply plan by the Grattan Institute found that it could put significant downward pressure on rents, saving renters billions over the next decade. Our agenda, whether it be the National Housing Accord, the Social Housing Accelerator, the new homes bonus, the Housing Support Program, the National Planning Reform Blueprint, the Housing Australia Future Fund, the National Housing Infrastructure Facility, I think we have shown in the last 18 months that we are addressing the housing shortage in this country. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Faruqi, a second supplementary?

Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over 80 housing organisations and the vast majority of people across the country called for national rent caps and strong national renters' rights. Will you stop listening to the industry? And why is the government ignoring the calls of housing experts and the Australian public to implement a freeze and a cap on rental increases?

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

I refer you to my previous answer. There is something constructive the Greens political party could do on this area—that is, stop running the campaigns in their own electorates against the new supply of affordable housing. For example, the member for Griffith is campaigning against the plan to build an aged-care facility in his electorate. Rather than allow 220 aged-care patients to get treatment, he wants the space used as a park. The member for Ryan is campaigning against a plan to subdivide an old chicken farm into 91 new homes, arguing against this development. We even have the member for Melbourne, Adam Bandt, also arguing against one of the new Social Housing Accelerator programs in Carlton. That is an area where we could all work together to support the increase of supply of housing to put downward pressure on rents. That is something that this chamber could support.