Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Ministers statements: housing

Gabrielle WILLIAMS (Dandenong – Minister for Government Services, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Public and Active Transport) (14:29): We know that it is harder than ever to find an affordable home and that more Victorians now are renting than ever before. While our state currently has the strongest rental protections in the country, we know that there is still more that we can do. That is why the Allan Labor government is expanding protections for renters. Our housing statement not only sets a bold target to build 800,000 new homes but it commits us to closing the loopholes that are driving up the cost of living for renters, giving renters more certainty of their leases, also their finances and of course living standards. We will crack down on an emerging trend that has seen some landlords evict tenants at the end of their first fixed-term lease. We will restrict rent increases in these circumstances, which is very important. We will incentivise landlords and renters to negotiate fair rent increases and, if agents or landlords are issuing a new lease after they have evicted previous tenants on their first fixed-term one, they will have to offer the property at the same rent for at least 12 months. That means landlords cannot churn through renters purely to get rent increases and gives renters more certainty over their living arrangements.

We have had to fight to deliver our rental reforms every step of the way in this place. Our 2018 reforms, over 130 of them – reforms that have made us nation-leading in this state – were opposed by those opposite, but we know these reforms have made real and meaningful improvements to the lives of renters across our state, which is why we are so committed to doing more. While those opposite continue to stand against renters, we will get on with delivering more housing supply for Victorians and increasing protections for renters.