After years of discussion and repeated commitments, the Federal Government released Homes for Australia: A National Plan on May 28th at the National Press Club.
The Plan delivers on a commitment first made by the Labor Opposition and reaffirmed following the 2022 election to develop a national housing and homelessness strategy. While the release of a national plan is a significant milestone, some housing advocates argue that the strategic ten-year vision remains incomplete.
What does the National Housing Plan say about renting?
The Plan is built around six pillars, including a commitment to make renting fairer. That pillar states:
“This Plan focuses on strengthening renters’ rights, improving the quality of rental homes, expanding access to longer-term leases, and increasing the supply of rental and affordable housing. Together, these reforms aim to lift the standard of renting across Australia and ensure it delivers a high quality of life.”
For renters, this builds on the Better Deal for Renters (BDFR), agreed to by National Cabinet in 2023. The BDFR established a set of rental reform commitments agreed to and for implementation by all states and territories.
These commitments included introducing genuine reasonable grounds for evictions and improving the regulation of short-stay rental accommodation. In Queensland, both these issues remain incomplete despite the National Plan reporting that the BDFR’s “core reforms” have been delivered here. Importantly though, Queensland has progressed other commitments including strengthening protections for renters’ personal information, introducing a standard rental application form, limiting reletting costs, improving protections against retaliatory evictions and restricting rent bidding practices.
Holding governments to their promises
As noted above, the National Plan points to the next stage of renter reforms, the value of which will depend on how these commitments are translated into policy and practical outcomes for renters.
The National Association of Renter Organisations (NARO), of which Tenants Queensland is a member, is now considering how best to hold governments accountable for commitments already made, while continuing to advocate for reforms that are still needed.
NARO’s National Nine platform, together with its previous scorecards assessing progress against the BDFR, provides a useful starting point. These resources help identify where reforms have been delivered, where they have stalled and where further action is needed.
Beyond renting
Renting reform is only one part of the National Plan. The other headline priorities are:
- Building the homes Australia needs so housing becomes more affordable.
- Levelling the playing field for first home buyers.
- Growing the social and affordable housing sector.
- Closing the housing gap in genuine partnership with First Nations Australians.
- Strengthening the homelessness system so more people can move out of homelessness and into stable housing.
Of note, capital gains tax and negative gearing changes have now passed into law.
Is it a national housing strategy?
Not everyone believes the Plan fulfils the promise of a comprehensive national housing strategy.
Housing academics Emeritus Professor Hal Pawson and Associate Professor Chris Martin argue that Australia still lacks a genuinely integrated housing strategy capable of addressing the structural drivers of housing affordability and insecurity. Their article, Australia Still Needs a Real National Housing Strategy, is well worth reading.
For NARO and Tenants Queensland, the key issues are whether the Plan will improve renters’ rights – greater security of tenure, better-quality homes and housing that renters can afford – and what our organisations can do to make sure that is the case.
