Less than one per cent of available rental properties across the country are affordable for a person earning the minimum wage, a new Anglicare Australia report has revealed. Source: 9news.com.au.
The research has laid bare just how dire is Australia’s housing crisis, with this year’s result “the worst ever seen”, according to experts.
“Each year, we think the (housing) market couldn’t get any worse and each year, we’re shocked to see that it can,” Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers said.
“This year’s result is the worst we have ever seen for a person on the minimum wage, with affordability halving over the last year.
“This is the first time we have ever seen the number of affordable listings for a full-time minimum wage earner crash to below one per cent.”
Ms Chambers said the situation has become so bleak, those on Centrelink payments “don’t even stand a chance”.
The reported surveyed 45,895 rental listings across Australia and found that a total of 345 rentals (0.8 per cent) were affordable for a person earning a full-time minimum wage.
A total of 162 rentals (0.4 per cent) were affordable for a person on the pension , while 66 rentals (0.1 per cent) were affordable for a person on the Disability Support Pension and just four rentals (zero per cent) were affordable for a person on JobSeeker.
Ms Chambers said major changes are needed to address the growing problem, calling on the Albanese Government to build more social and affordable homes.
“If we do not tackle this shortfall, we do not stand a chance of ending rental stress in Australia.
FULL STORY
Less than one per cent of rentals deemed ‘affordable’ for Aussies on minimum wage (By Joe Attanasio, 9news.com.au)
