Thursday, 19 March 2026

 Nick STAIKOS (Bentleigh – Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Local Government) (14:17): Under Premier Allan’s leadership, Victoria is the best state to rent in Australia. Rental bidding has been banned, minimum standards have been met, no-fault evictions have been abolished and renters now receive 90 days notice for rent increases, which must be justified. These are not abstract reforms. They matter a lot to renters in Hawthorn, in Prahran and in Kew. These renters deserve security, dignity and a decent standard of living. We have gone further, with Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria and a portable rental bond scheme.

I was severely disappointed, though I was not surprised, that some people could not bring themselves to back these reforms. They have railed against stronger renter rights before, and in this Parliament they voted against these landmark reforms. It is no surprise that their housing policy is all sales pitch and no floor plan – big promises at the open for inspection, nothing behind the front door. But all is not lost. My spirits were lifted when I was handed a media release by my newfound brethren the New South Wales Liberal Party. You may be thinking, ‘What have they called for?’ Well, get a load of this: a ban on no-fault evictions, longer notice periods at the end of fixed-term leases, a standard rental application form and the introduction of a portable rental bond scheme – all delivered under the Allan Labor government. If even the New South Wales Liberals can work out that renters deserve security and fairness, why are those opposite still siding with insecurity, weak standards and the worst operators in the market? The contrast could not be more stark: Labor supporting renters and those opposite following One Nation down their rabbit hole.