Melbourne electorate
Ellen SANDELL (Melbourne) (14:54): (636) My question is to the Minister for Consumer Affairs. Melbourne’s rental crisis is out of control. Rents are up $200 a week since before the pandemic, so when will the minister finally make unlimited rent rises illegal? Roughly half of my electorate rents, and that is roughly double the state average. In the last year alone, landlords have increased rents by more than 14 per cent, nearly four times CPI. A recent report confirmed there are zero rental properties or even share house rooms affordable for people on youth allowance, yet last week’s Labor budget delivered no rent freeze, no laws to free up Airbnbs for renters and no new public housing. If Labor instituted a rent freeze, renters would save $2500, so when will this government finally listen to the Greens and institute a rent freeze and caps?