David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, Senator Farrell. With homeless Australians dying on the street at an average age of 44 years, a new survey by InfoChoice last week showed that seven out of 10 Australians are experiencing rental stress. Vacancy rates are at record lows, and people are lining up in their scores—often over 100—to view a single rental listing. What progress has National Cabinet made on rental reforms?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Pocock for the question, and I don't disagree with any of the statistics that you've referred to there. This government fully understands that many Australians are finding it very tough in the current rental market. More than 30 per cent of Australians were renting a home at the last census, and obviously we hear the concerns of renters and are trying to take action to address them.

As you've referred to, there have been discussions with the states and the territories and with local government through the National Cabinet. The National Cabinet committed to a better deal for renters to harmonise and strengthen renters' rights across Australia. This included developing a nationally consistent framework with the requirement for genuine, reasonable grounds for eviction, moving towards limiting rental increases to once a year and phasing in minimum rental standards, among other changes to make renting fairer in this country. These changes will have a tangible impact for almost one-third of Australian households who rent. But we know that the best way to improve the position of renters is to increase the supply of homes. The Albanese government has committed to a very ambitious reform agenda. (Time expired)

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

Senator Pocock, a first supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. The Prime Minister said on 28 April last year:

Housing Ministers will develop a proposal for National Cabinet in the second half of 2023 outlining reforms to strengthen renters' rights …

It's now February 2024. I'm wondering where the government's at and why this isn't more of a priority, given cost-of-living pressures being felt across the country.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Pocock for his first supplementary question. It is the focus of all our reforms to boost the supply of housing—more social rental housing, more affordable housing and of course more private homes to rent and more homes to buy. What the government have done in the period that you're talking about, Senator Pocock, is the National Housing Accord that will support planning and zoning reforms as well as the investment of $350 million in additional federal funding to deliver 10,000 affordable rental homes.

Secondly, the $2 billion social housing accelerator has been delivered, with announcements of projects already being made, and we look forward to around 4,000 new social rental homes being delivered from this funding. The federal government's $3 billion— (Time expired)

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

Senator Pocock, a second supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. We'll continue to wait for the proposal to strengthen renters' rights. In the meantime, because of the cost-of-living pressures, I'm interested to know: can you advise on how many Australians each month are accessing Foodbank around the country, and how many of them are accessing it for the first time?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Pocock for his second supplementary question. I don't have those statistics available to me at the moment, Senator Pocock, but I will endeavour to get them as quickly as I possibly can and provide them to you and to the Senate.

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

Thank you, Minister.