The Victorian Greens have said the Victorian Labor Government’s decision to take rent controls off the table will have dire consequences for renters for years to come.
The Greens have called it a gutless decision that will see the current crisis get worse, and more renters forced to sleep in cars, tents and caravans.
This afternoon the Government announced it was ruling out a cap on rent increases as part of its upcoming housing statement.
This is despite the fact that 82 per cent of renters are currently experiencing housing stress, and many are just one rent rise away from homelessness.
In fact, the current rental crisis parliamentary inquiry has already heard from renters forced to accept rentals that cost more than half of their income because the alternative was homelessness.
Others spoke of commuting hours to work and school because they couldn’t find an affordable rental in their area.
Victorian Greens renters’ rights spokesperson, Gabrielle de Vietri, said the Government had a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix the housing crisis with their upcoming housing statement, and they had already failed to deliver.
She said today’s decision was a clear sop to the property development industry that completely ignored the ongoing reality for the one in three Victorians who rent.
The Victorian Labor Government will very likely require the Greens to pass their housing statement in Parliament once it is released.
The Greens have already said that in order to ensure their support, any reforms must require half of all new homes in these special development zones to be public and affordable, along with statewide rent controls.
As stated by Victorian Greens renters’ rights spokesperson, Gabrielle de Vietri MP:
“Victorian Labor’s supply argument is a red herring to stop them from upsetting their landlord and developer donors.
“The truth is, you can’t just build more private investment properties and expect landlords to bring the rent down out of the goodness of their hearts.
“Labor’s trickle-down neo-liberal approach to housing has failed time and time again. What makes the Premier think it’ll work this time?
“Labor is locking in ongoing misery for thousands of Victorians who rent.
“For every unaffordable rent hike, renters will now have the Victorian Labor Government to thank. For every renter having to choose between rent and food, renters have the Victorian Labor Government to thank. And every renter thrust into homelessness will have the Victorian Labor Government to thank.”
As stated by Leader of the Victorian Greens, Samantha Ratnam MLC:
“Taking rent controls off the table is yet another cowardly decision by the Victorian Labor Government.
“Every time they have a shot at real reform to ease the housing crisis, they cave to property developers and investors.
“The amount of supply isn’t necessarily the most critical issue when it comes to solving this crisis. It’s the type of supply that matters. Getting the type of supply right to mandate enough public and affordable housing is what will help ease the stress that thousands are experiencing.
“The Government must require the property industry to build their fair share of public and affordable homes, because giving developers free rein to build more expensive penthouses isn’t the solution.”
