Jennifer Pittorino
Local Greens volunteers have started campaigning for a rent freeze in the western suburbs of Melbourne, within the Labor-held seats of Maribyrnong, Fraser and Gellibrand.
The 400 volunteers across the country have been door knocking and attending rental inspections in renter hotspots as part of the Greens new campaigning blitz.
The campaign is informing Labor that there will be severe electoral consequences if they fail to tackle the housing crisis and give real relief to renters.
On Friday, May 5, Maribyrnong Greens councillor, Bernadette Thomas said the community in the west are feeling the impacts of the housing crisis.
“We’ve been knocking on doors here in the west and we’re hearing all the time about renters facing huge increases to their rent,” she said.
This is part of a broader strategy to put pressure on Labour in negotiations on the Housing Australia Future Fund bill.
The bill will propose a national freeze on rent increases and interest rates and a doubling of Commonwealth Rent Assistance, as well as a guaranteed funding of $5 billion a year as part of ongoing negotiations on the Housing Bill.
“The message for the Labor MP’s here in the west should be very clear – your communities want real action to tackle the housing crisis that includes a plan for renters,” she said.
“People we speak to are appalled when they hear that over 100,000 people are on the wait list for public housing here in Victoria.”
Gellibrand MP Tim Watts office said the current Labor Government has an ambitious housing reform agenda to ensure renters in the west have a safe and affordable place to call home.
“The best way for the government to ease rental stress is through a sustained boost to the supply of homes to rent and a substantial investment in new social and affordable houses. This is exactly what the Albanese government is doing through our housing agenda, with the Housing Australia Future Fund at its centre,” they said.
