Tuesday, 27 August 2024

Croydon electorate housing

David HODGETT (Croydon) (19:09): (795) My adjournment is for the Minister for Housing, and the action I seek is for the minister to work with the Commonwealth government, community housing providers and renter advocates with the aim of purchasing current national rental affordability scheme, NRAS, rental properties in Croydon to retain them as affordable or social housing. I have a high number of NRAS homes in my electorate of Croydon. My office has received several calls from stressed and anxious tenants who have received letters informing them that their 10-year lease under the NRAS will conclude in November. These tenants are some of the most vulnerable in our community, made up of mostly single mothers, domestic violence survivors and Indigenous residents.

The government has introduced several legislative changes that have had a detrimental impact on people owning additional properties in Victoria. People have endured massive increases in land tax, and additional costs have been imposed on landlords. As a result, with the 10-year lease under the national rental affordability scheme, the NRAS, concluding in November, some landlords are opting to sell their investment property and get out of the market in Victoria while others will shift to charging full market value rent. If these tenants could not afford to rent at market value 10 years ago, they certainly cannot afford it now. These tenants are facing homelessness.

We know there is currently a rental crisis in Victoria. We know there is a 15-year waiting list for social housing. We know this NRAS scheme is now ending. Therefore I implore the minister to follow the Queensland government’s example and purchase these NRAS properties and retain them for affordable and social housing. Without intervention many of these homes will be lost – taken out of the market and unavailable for low-cost housing – and the housing crisis in Victoria will become worse. I appeal to the government to not waste this opportunity and to work to find a way to purchase these properties and keep them for affordable or social housing. Do not ignore these people in their time of need; do not force them into a situation of homelessness.