Reform of the private rental market remains a key priority for Shelter NSW, with the ending of No Grounds Evictions the most critical.
Our colleagues at the Tenants’ Union of NSW (TUNSW) have provided a helpful update on two separate private Members’ Bills that have been introduced into the NSW parliament just this week:

• Emma Hurst MLC of the Animal Justice Party introduced a Private Members Bill aimed at making renting laws more pet-friendly
• Jenny Leong MP of the NSW Greens introduced a Private Member’s Bill in the Legislative Assembly today, which seeks to replace existing provisions allowing landlords to evict renters without a reason (‘no grounds’ evictions) with a number of new, appropriate, reasonable grounds for termination

Along with the TUNSW we acknowledge the NSW Government’s commitments to rental reform, rounds of consultation (which is still ongoing) but note that the sector (and community) has not yet seen a Government Bill.
We urge the NSW Government to make this a priority.

On a broader note, other opportunities for reform remain including the necessity to introduce mechanisms to regulate and moderate the rate of rent increase in the private housing market.

Our Senior Policy Advisor Cathy Callaghan was very happy to join Dr Alastair Sisson in a presentation to the NSW Labor for Ending Homelessness Action Group last Saturday (pictured). As a co-author of the report on the international experience of rent regulation (commissioned by Shelter NSW and TUNSW) Dr Sisson shared a great deal of insight on not only how such an approach could be done, but is being done. Cathy talked about the need for restoring social (public and community) housing as a meaningful alternative to the private rental market and the urgent need for Ending No Grounds Evictions. Other topics on the day included the NSW TOD program which Cathy discussed along with Tim Sneesby, Manager of Strategic Planning from Waverly Council. Many thanks to NSW Labor for the opportunity.