2025-02-03
The Greens (WA) have announced a list of key demands to strengthen renter’s rights and shift the power balance away from property developers, landlords and real estate agents.
Housing will be a top priority for the Greens (WA) in the next term, with recent data showing Western Australia is now the epicentre of the national housing crisis1 after four years of the Cook Labor government.
Since the 2021 State Election, rents in Perth have increased by more than 50%2 putting thousands of Western Australian into financial hardship and earning our city the unfortunate title of ‘least affordable capital city’ in the country.
Meanwhile, our ageing public and private housing stock is some of the worst in the country, putting renter’s health at risk in our notoriously hot summers and through the cooler months of winter as well.
After four years of the Cook Labor government tinkering around the edges of the housing and renting crisis, the Greens will today announce a commitment to strengthen renter’s rights including:
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A two-year freeze on rent increases and a permanent cap on rent increases pegged at CPI + 10% (in line with the model introduced in the ACT);
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Immediately scrap no-reason evictions from the Residential Tenancies Act;
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Introduce minimum standards for all public and private rental properties, including minimum standards for heating, cooling and energy efficiency:
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As of 1 May 2025, all new properties in WA will be required to have a minimum energy efficiency rating of 7 stars under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme. Western Australia could retrofit all social housing to meet this standard by 2030 at a cost of $640million and incentivise private rentals to do the same;
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Tougher controls to stop rent-bidding:
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The advertised weekly rent for a home is the price tenants will pay; and
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Introduce a 3-strike policy for real estate agents, and fines for private landlords, for encouraging rent-bidding or accepting bids above the advertised price for a rental property.
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Comments attributable to WA Greens Housing Spokesperson and Legislative Council Candidate, Tim Clifford:
“Over the last four years the Cook Labor government has consistently prioritised the rights of property developers, landlords and real estate agents over the rights of the 700,000 Western Australians who rent.
“Despite passing reforms to the Residential Tenancies Act in April last year, new inflation data out last week shows Western Australia is still at the epicentre of the national housing crisis with rents rising more than 10% in the last year and more than 50% in the last four years.
“Western Australians who rent desperately need relief which is why the Greens will push for a two year rent freeze after the state election which would save the average household almost $6,000 per year3; more than 8 weeks rent!
“But unlike the Cook Labor government, who are experts at bandaid solutions, we know that more than a temporary rent freeze is needed to ease the pressure on renters in the long-term.
“That’s why the Greens are announcing today a permanent cap on rent increases that is tied to CPI alongside a suite of policies that will actually make a difference for the 700,000 Western Australians who rent.
“Housing Minister John Carey could have made bold reforms to the Residential Tenancies Act but instead he caved to the property developers, landlords and real estate lobbyists like REIWA.
“Labor just keeps tinkering around the edges of this housing crisis. If Labor really wanted to tackle this crisis they would freeze and permanently cap rents, scrap unfair no-reason evictions and give WA renters safety and security in their own homes.”
Comments attributable to WA Greens MLC Dr Brad Pettitt:
“Western Australia is the only state where tenants can be evicted for no reason and the only state where the government uses this unfair policy regularly to evict tenants from government owned and managed housing.
“The Greens WA tried to amend the Residential Tenancies Act in April last year to get rid of the unfair practice but were blocked by the WA Labor government who claimed, without evidence, that doing so could impact housing supply.
“What there is plenty of evidence for is the impact that maintaining this unfair practice has on the security and affordability of housing for the 700,000 Western Australians who rent.
“A survey last year by Make Renting Fair WA4 revealed tenants are too scared to ask for maintenance or necessary repairs in case that leads to an eviction and feel powerless to negotiate rent increases.
“As the biggest landlord in the state, the WA Labor government regularly uses no-grounds evictions to evict public and social housing tenants into homelessness; a practice that is, frankly, criminal.
“We are joined today at this announcement by Sandii Rogers, a public housing tenant on the disability support pension who has been told by the government she will have to cover the cost of installing insulation in her home. This is not good enough.
“So many public housing tenants swelter through summer in state-government owned and managed housing that doesn’t even meet basic minimum standards such as roof insulation, let alone air conditioning. It is time to invest in minimum energy efficiency standards as a priority.
“Alongside investing in public housing, we would push for a $1,500 rebate scheme to incentivise landlords to improve the energy efficiency of private rental properties, helping renters to save on their energy bills too.
“Far too many Western Australian homes fall well below minimum standards for safe housing; this needs to change as a priority.”
1 Perth housing market: Latest inflation data shows renters hit hard in 2024, The West Australian, Wednesday 29 January 2025, Source: https://thewest.com.au/business/economy/perth-housing-market-latest-inf…
2 SQM Weekly Rents: Perth. Source: https://sqmresearch.com.au/weekly-rents.php?region=wa%3A%3APerth&type=c…
3 Renters could have saved 10 weeks worth of rent by now under Greens rent freeze proposal, Max Chandler-Mather, Australian Greens, 24 October 2024. Source: https://www.maxchandlermather.com/renters_could_have_saved_10_weeks_wor…
4 2023 WA Renter’s Survey, Make Renting Fair WA. Source: https://makerentingfairwa.org.au/resources/survey-findings/