Standard rental leases would be doubled to two years and public housing construction lifted to a 40-year-high of one in every 10 new homes, under a new push by unions to alleviate the housing crisis. Source: The Australian.
Claiming success in securing limits on tax breaks for “professional landlords” through the capital gains tax and negative gearing changes, the ACTU will press for National Cabinet to strengthen the rights of millions of renters through a new national two-year rental standard and a fivefold increase in public housing construction to its highest rate since the 1980s.
In a strategy to be unveiled in Canberra today, the ACTU will call for “urgent” changes that would require landlords to offer at least two years of housing security as the default standard, with renters still free to choose shorter leases.
The peak union body said National Cabinet could deliver the change by updating the 2023 “A Better Deal for Renters” agreement, which harmonised renters’ rights across Commonwealth, state and territory governments.
Seeking tighter eviction protections and measures to prevent rent gouging, the ACTU called for rental-property improvements, including energy efficiency, temperature control, climate-proofing, and security upgrades, to be jointly funded by property owners and governments.
Along with the push to lift the public housing component of new homes built from one in 50 to one in 10, the ACTU wants governments to commit to the goal of lifting public housing to at least 6 per cent of Australia’s total housing stock.
ACTU president Michele O’Neil said housing had become a source of stress rather than security for many workers who were unable to find secure, affordable housing near where they worked.
“Nurses, teachers and other workers are living with the yearly uncertainty that comes with constant rent hikes and one-year leases being the standard option,” Ms O’Neil said.
She said millions of workers were renters and they needed stronger rights, better protections against evictions and more secure leases.
Rents have risen by double digits in most major cities “driven by rent-gouging by professional landlords” and have increased by about 23 per cent over five years.
According to Anglicare research last year, only 1 per cent of rentals nationwide were affordable for essential workers.
FULL STORY
ACTU bid for two-year rental leases and a massive public housing boost (By Ewin Hannan, The Australian)
