AUSTRALIA’S housing crisis is hitting people at every stage of life, prompting renewed calls for governments to limit rent increases and dramatically boost the nation’s stock of social housing.
A Senate inquiry into intergenerational housing inequity has found Australians across generations are being affected by the housing crisis, with rising costs contributing to growing inequality and leaving many renters anxious about keeping a roof over their heads.
The Select Committee on Intergenerational Housing Inequity made 10 findings, including recognition that declining investment in public housing has contributed to the crisis and greater investment is needed.
Housing campaign Everybody’s Home said the findings must become a turning point for renters, calling for coordinated action from Federal, State and Territory Governments.
Everybody’s Home spokesperson Maiy Azize said years of rising rents had pushed households to breaking point.
“Renters have been forced to pay higher and higher rents for years. The odds of being pushed into housing stress or turning to homelessness services for help have never been higher,” Ms Azize said.
“Renters can never catch a break. No matter whether interest rates rise or fall, renters still cop rent hikes year on year.
“Renters are at breaking point and running out of sacrifices to make. Every rent rise is another choice between keeping their home and paying for other essentials like food or medicine.”
The Senate committee found rent increases had outpaced wages growth by several multiples, while too many Australians were living with anxiety about maintaining safe housing and being able to afford their rent.
Everybody’s Home is now calling for governments to establish greater consistency across Australia.
“Governments must start working together to put an end to unfair, excessive rent increases,” Ms Azize said.
“There must be consistency across the country on how much and how often rents can rise.”
The organisation pointed to the ACT, where rent increases are generally limited under the territory’s residential tenancy laws, as a model governments could consider.
“We implore the Federal Government to work with the states and territories on coordinating a cap on rents,” Ms Azize said.
But the organisation argues rent reform alone will not solve Australia’s housing affordability problems.
It is also calling for a major increase in public and community housing, with a target for social housing to eventually account for one in every 10 Australian homes.
Ms Azize said the Senate inquiry’s recognition of the decline in public housing investment should now be followed by action.
“It’s great to see that senators across party lines agree that Australia hasn’t built enough public housing, that it’s making the housing crisis worse and that it must be fixed with more investment,” she said.
“Now that acknowledgement must turn into action.
“Asking developers to build more expensive homes in the private market isn’t a real solution. We need a massive boost in public and community housing rentals that are actually affordable.”
Everybody’s Home said the consequences were being felt at both ends of the generational divide, with younger Australians struggling to leave the family home while older renters faced growing financial pressure later in life.
“Young people can’t afford to move out of their family home, and older renters can’t afford to stop working,” Ms Azize said.
“The private rental market is failing renters at every age and stage of life and the only way out is for the federal government to step in.
“Everyone deserves a safe, decent, affordable home.”
