Labor has welcomed the government’s decision to issue a Notice imposing a clear ban on residential rent increases during the COVID-19 crisis.
The Shadow Minister for Housing Alison Standen said the move will provide some much-needed reassurance to Tasmania’s residential tenants.
“Labor has been urging the government for weeks now to give effect to the Premier’s commitment to protect residential tenants from rent increases,” Ms Standen said.
“It is heartening that the government has now responded and issued a Notice under the COVID-19 Emergency Act to prevent rent increases on homes until at least 30 June.
“Without this Notice, residential tenants were being treated differently to commercial tenants, and faced the prospect of rent hikes of up to 20 per cent in some cases.
“Issuing this notice will put residential tenants on the same footing as commercial tenants and give them the peace of mind they need to get through this crisis without further unnecessary stress.”
Ms Standen has again urged the government to follow the lead of other states and provide hotel accommodation to shelter the state’s homeless population.
“Despite our calls for action and the Premier’s insistence that he doesn’t want people in the streets in the middle of a pandemic, too many people remain without shelter and need government support to get them into safe emergency accommodation.
“As we have been saying since the start of this crisis, Tasmania’s homeless can’t be expected to self-isolate if they have nowhere to live.
“Many hotels and accommodation providers have offered their help to provide shelter to the homeless – an offer that has been taken up in other states and territories.
“It’s time for Peter Gutwein to join his counterparts interstate and provide emergency accommodation to everyone who needs it.”
Alison Standen MP
Shadow Minister for Housing
