Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Leader and Housing spokesperson
Multiple reports released this week confirm the state’s deepening rental crisis. Thousands of Tasmanians are struggling financially and being pushed towards homelessness – it’s the responsibility of all MPs to help reverse this trend.
Tasmania's rental market is overcooked, and those who can least afford it are suffering. It's time for the Liberal and Labor parties to get on board with the Greens' Bill to fix the state's rental laws.
Our comprehensive Bill is a first tranche if necessary reforms to the Residential Tenancy Act. It will give tens of thousands of renters a chance. We want to work constructively across the Chamber to pass these laws, because we know they will make a huge difference.
The Liberals have resisted calls for crucial reforms to help tenants, such as introducing rent controls and banning no-cause evictions. Their defence of this position has been made easier by a Labor Opposition dragging their feet on these common-sense changes.
We welcome Labor’s calls for more government action on the rental crisis. Now it’s time for them to put their money where their mouth is, to strengthen tenants’ rights and to put money back in the pockets of Tasmanian renters.
We urge Rebecca White to join the Tenants Union and housing advocates in supporting the Greens’ rental law reforms.
Tasmanian tenants need every bit of help they can get, and they need it urgently. While Labor dallies on supporting real legislative changes to protect renters, the Liberals will get away with doing nothing.
This crisis in the rental market is not going away on its own. It's time for the old parties to work with the Greens to pass our Bill.