News

Tenants Queensland congratulates the State Government on taking positive steps to improve access and affordability to housing for Queenslanders, with the release of the Housing Summit Outcomes Report today, but there is more to be done to making renting fair in Queensland.

The short-term relief measures in the Report are positive and will help those already struggling. We welcome the cost-of-living support measures such as increased funds for food relief and other types of emergency relief.

There is also increased support to those struggling with the costs of rent, which we are very pleased to see.

Positive steps to improve housing supply are being taken, with land immediately available already identified, as well as buildings that can be repurposed, helping bring forward supply solutions. The $1 billion boost to the Housing Investment Fund (to $2 billion) is very welcome.

Unfortunately, the Report does not include any reference to the Government’s promised second stage of tenancy law reforms. Any sustainable solution to Queensland’s housing crisis also requires legislative reform.

In the last twelve months, the average rental increase in Queensland was $110 per week.

Any increase to rent subsidies needs to be coupled with legislated limits to rent increases or we risk pushing rents even higher.

We need to protect renters from arbitrary evictions, allow them to make reasonable changes to their homes to make them safe and accessible, and make it easier for renters to get their bonds back. These changes would level the playing field and make renting in Queensland fairer for everyone.

There also needs to be more work done to identify vacant premises and properties that have been moved into short-term letting markets, such as AirBnB, which is putting further pressure on the housing market. Applying disincentives to this will get more properties into the long-term rental market and provide immediate relief to housing supply.

We are reassured to see the Premier, Deputy Premier, Treasurer, and multiple Ministers committed to addressing this, and congratulate the Government on their work to date, however there is still more to be done.

Despite the massive blow out to the cost of living in Australia we are, according to some web-based sites like Statista and Roy Morgan, set to spend approximately $64 billion. With Queenslanders set to spend $13 billion of that alone. That is a rise of 4.6% compared to the same time last year.
We all love to give gifts to family and friends especially for Christmas. However, there may be a price to pay for the privilege. 

Click this link to read more about practical steps you can follow to have a great Christmas

Tenants Queensland will join other key community and government stakeholders at the Queensland Housing Summit this Thursday 20 October 2022.  In the lead up to the summit we have submitted a paper outlining our recommendations for consideration.

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Monday 3 October 2022 is International Tenants’ Day (ITD). International Tenants’ Day has been celebrated annually on the first Monday in October since 1986 as a day to promote and raise awareness of tenants’ rights across the world.

Tenants Queensland invites all tenants across Queensland to participate in our competition. Share with us and tell us with your entry why it is so important for you to “CONNECT TO HOME”

This can be done with a photo, a poem, a painting or drawing.

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On 24 May 2022, a law to secure the rental bonds of Queensland tenants passed Parliament which makes the Residential Tenancies Authority self-funding model no longer. Following on from our submission to the committee, we wrote to the Treasurer on 12 May 2022 to seek changes, but we were unsuccessful.

You can read the full media statement here.  

As the election nears, the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) have asked organizations to sign on to two joint letters from the community sector to Federal Election candidates calling on them to commit to two game-changer policies to reduce poverty and inequality.

 These policies are:

• Lift income support payments to above the poverty line so everyone can cover the basics
• Invest in 25,000 social housing units each year as part of a National Housing Plan.

Tenants Queensland have joined with the many organisations to be a signatory to the two letters.

One to independent and minor party candidates asking them to make these policies part of negotiations to form government should there be a hung parliament. The same letter will go to all other candidates (without reference to negotiating to form government).

You can access a copy of the letter with the full list of signatories here.