Gabrielle asks the Victorian Labor Government when they will actually implement their promised rental reforms. Full transcript of her question in parliament:
My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Consumer Affairs, and the action that I seek is for the minister to provide a time line for the implementation of renting reforms announced six months ago. It has now been six months since Labor announced its housing statement, which included a number of welcome reforms for renters that Labor promised would ease the crisis. But since then the renting crisis has only got worse: rents continue to rise, ceilings continue to fall, the mould is spreading and renters are still being evicted for no reason. They are still waiting for months if not years to have their cases heard at VCAT, and yet there is no sight of these reforms.
Victorian renters need help now, and at the very least they deserve clarity. So I ask the minister to provide a time line for when they are going to act on the announcements that they made six months ago, specifically when and how Labor is planning to fulfil promises to (1) restrict rent increases between successive fixed-term rental agreements, (2) ban all types of rental bidding, (3) establish rental dispute resolution in Victoria, (4) introduce a portable rental bond scheme, (5) extend notice of rent increases and notice to vacate periods to 90 days, (6) introduce mandatory training and licensing for real estate agents, property managers, owners, corporation managers and conveyancers, (7) make rental applications easier and protect renters’ personal information and (8) deliver a rental stress support package.
