Thursday, 31 October 2024

 Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (12:56): (1214) My question is to the Minister for Housing. Why is the Labor state government seeking to destroy Victoria’s property market and make the rental crisis even worse? Labor has already implemented more than 130 rental reforms and yesterday announced another six hurdles. The media release states that Victoria is leading the nation, but they are leading the housing market in Victoria off a cliff. It is already hard enough to find a rental in Bendigo and regional towns. Currently the rental vacancy rate is just 0.66 per cent in Greater Bendigo. Endless reforms to the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 and changes to regulations are making it even harder for landlords and investors to continue to own properties and make them available for rent. Many homes are being left empty, while the rate of people who are homeless continues to rise. Recently I met a lady who runs a business and owns several properties as a landlord who was close to tears. She cannot afford to do the renovations required to meet the revised standards but does not want to evict the families. In her words, Victoria is now a ‘no-go zone’, and she knows many businesses and investors leaving the state.