2024-05-14
The Victorian Greens will this week bring their bill for a rent freeze to the Upper House for a debate, in a bid to alleviate the worsening housing crisis.
The Greens say their bill for a two-year rent freeze followed by a cap on rent increases would help the many renters facing housing stress or homelessness.
In last week’s State Budget, Labor included nothing for renters and no new money for housing.
This is despite the fact that in the last year alone in Melbourne, landlords have increased rents by more than 14 per cent.
In fact, a recent Better Renting report found that renters could have saved on average $2,537 dollars in the last year if a rent freeze had been established.
Victorian Greens renters’ rights spokesperson, Gabrielle de Vietri, said until Labor made unlimited rent increases illegal, they would only guarantee more housing stress and homelessness.
She added that as long as landlords were given unlimited power by Labor to hike up the rent and kick tenants out, renters would continue to live in insecurity and the crisis would get worse.
The Greens’ Residential Tenancies Amendment (Rent Freeze and Caps) Bill 2023 will be debated on Wednesday afternoon in the Upper House.
Quotes attributable to Victorian Greens renters’ rights spokesperson, Gabrielle de Vietri MP:
“Unlimited rent increases should be illegal.
“Labor’s rental crisis is breaking people, and their do-nothing policies are making the rental crisis worse.
“Under Labor, landlords have unlimited power to hike up the rent and kick you out.
“There is no reason why Labor can’t freeze rents, they’re just choosing not to. We need urgent action on the rental crisis, including a rent freeze and a permanent cap on rent increases.”
Quotes attributable to Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell MP:
“In the middle of a housing crisis, Labor’s first Budget under the new Premier had no new money for housing, and nothing to help with soaring rents.
“Labor only wants to tinker around the edges, but as long as landlords have unlimited power to hike up the rent and kick you out, renters will continue to live in insecurity.
“The Greens are giving a voice to renters and all those locked out of the housing market. That’s why we’re urging all parties to support our bill in Parliament this week.”