Today in Question Time, following the Premier and the Treasurer talking up the Government’s record on housing approvals, NSW Greens spokesperson on Housing Jenny Leong MP asked the Premier to explain at what point the increase in housing supply would result in stabilising or reducing housing prices in NSW.

Jenny Leong MP said:

“It just doesn’t add up. We are seeing record levels of housing supply in NSW yet house prices continue to spiral upwards. 

NSW Greens Housing spokesperson, Jenny Leong MP says that ending ‘no grounds’ evictions in NSW is a simple reform that will provide much needed security for renters in Newcastle, Port Stephens, the Hunter and across the state.

The Greens are kicking off a campaign to end ‘no grounds’ evictions with the launch of the rentersrights.org.au website.

“Many renters live in fear of being thrown out of their home, even when they pay rent on time and look after the property.  These laws are unfair and out of date,” Ms Leong said.

NSW Greens spokesperson for Housing Jenny Leong MP says that the NSW Government must consider the needs of the growing number of tenants facing lifelong renting as they address the housing affordability crisis.

“The reason that affordable housing is so essential is that it provides people on moderate incomes with a safe and secure place to live. That security should also be extended to renters and there’s a simple and immediate way to do that – by ending ‘no grounds’ evictions,” says Ms Leong.

The NSW Government has commissioned a review of rents in public, community and affordable housing in NSW.

Access to safe and secure housing is a human right. The supply of public, community and affordable housing to everyone who needs it is a government responsibility.

It’s essential that the experiences and views of people living in public and community housing are considered as part of that review. 

Make a submission to the review here and we will pass it on to IPART, the independent tribunal conducting the review on behalf of the Government.

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To IPART NSW,

Submission to the Review of Social and Affordable Housing Rent Models

Social housing is a government responsibility and a way of ensuring that safe and secure housing is available to everyone who needs it.

I support the principle of social housing as it allows people with different incomes to live in our city. I oppose the sell-off of public housing and the shifting of public and community housing tenants out of our inner-city.

As a member of the community who has an interest in public, community and affordable housing, I want to share my views.

The NSW Premier has announced that former Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens will be assisting the government with their housing affordability strategy.

NSW Greens spokesperson on Housing Jenny Leong MP has welcomed the Premier’s recognition that housing affordability is an urgent issue for the people of NSW, but says that the solution needs to move beyond supply.

Published in the South Sydney Herald, February 2017

Can our new Premier improve the score?

NSW has a new Premier. We’re relieved to see the back of Casino (or is it Chainsaw?) Mike, but will our new Premier be better?

Premier Berejiklian has already indicated how her Government will respond on a number of key issues. On others, we’re still in the dark. Over the coming months we will see whether the Premier is genuinely willing to listen to community concerns and take action to repair some of the disastrous decisions made under former Premier Baird.

Reports that the National Affordable Housing Agreement will be scrapped at the next budget have sent shockwaves through the housing and homelessness sector, with advocates warning that abandoning the agreement will have devastating effects on the most vulnerable members of our community.

NSW Housing spokesperson Jenny Leong MP said that, while the agreement was flawed, it was an essential source of funding for public housing.

Every single major housing market in Australia is ‘severely unaffordable’ according to the latest Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey. Sydney is second on the list of the most severely unaffordable housing markets in the world.

Greens housing spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon and Greens NSW housing spokesperson Jenny Leong say it is absurd that both federal and state governments insist that they can tackle housing affordability without making any changes to unfair tax structures like negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts that favour investors.

In response to new data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), which shows increased demand for Specialist Housing Services in NSW, NSW Greens spokesperson on Housing Jenny Leong MP, says urgent action is needed to address homelessness and housing affordability.

“The increase in demand for Specialists Homelessness Services is stark evidence of the housing affordability crisis we’re facing in NSW,” she said.

The NSW Government has proposed a number of reforms to the real estate and property services industry. While some of the proposals will improve the industry, the reforms do not do enough to protect the significant number of NSW residents who have dealings with the industry, either as renters or as the buyers or sellers of property.