2026-10-14
New polling from the Australia Institute today reveals the majority of Australians support some form of rent regulation as well as increased funding for building more public housing.
Polling results:
- About four in five voters (78%) support some government regulation of rents, including more than half (55%) who think rents should only be allowed to rise by inflation or less, and about one in four (23%) who support a temporary rent freeze. Less than one in five (14%) voters think there should be no limits on rent rises.
- 94% of renters support some type of regulation of rents.
- Three in five voters (61%) think governments should be doing more to help renters, including a third (30%) who think they should be doing much more. Only one in ten (8%) voters think the government should be doing less.
- More than four in five (86%) renters think governments should be doing more to help renters.
- Three in four voters (75%) agree governments should spend more money directly building public housing including one in three (35%) who strongly agree.
- Support for additional public housing is strong across voting intentions, including nine in ten (88%) Greens voters, four in five Labor (83%) and independent (82%) voters and seven in ten Coalition and One Nation voters (both 69%).
The Greens say the polling shows Labor’s housing policies are out of step with ordinary Australians and call on the federal government to introduce rent caps and a massive, long-term boost in public housing, rented to people at prices they can actually afford.
Lines attributable to Greens spokesperson for finance, housing and homelessness and Senator for South Australia, Barbara Pocock:
“It’s no surprise that the majority of people support rent regulation. People know the pain is real. The current rental market is the most unaffordable in Australian history with some of the highest rates of rental stress.
“Labor is failing renters and their housing policies are out of step with what ordinary Australians want. The federal government must introduce rent caps and deliver a massive, long-term boost in public housing, with rents set at prices people can actually afford.
“Rents keep rising while real wages go backwards. Record high rents are forcing people to spend much more than a third of their income just to keep a roof over their heads.
“Too many households are just one rent increase away from eviction or homelessness. Renters deserve secure and affordable housing.
“We must protect renters from excessive and unpredictable rent increases by limiting the amount by which rent can be increased annually.
“In the midst of a housing crisis, Labor has done nothing for renters. Under the HAFF, just 1,432 social and affordable homes have been added to housing stock - a mere drop in the ocean for the 640,000 people in need of housing.
“The HAFF is too small, too slow and too complex. It is nowhere near the scale we need.
“Successive Labor and Coalition governments have severely neglected investment in public housing and community housing, which has dropped to a record low of 3.7% of all housing stock.
“We need a national target of at least 10% of public and community housing as a share of all housing stock.
“It’s time for the government to get back into the business of building public housing directly. We’ve done it before, we can do it again.”
MEDIA CONTACT: Charlotta Lomas - 0466 339 862