Do You Agee with The Greens 2 Year Rent Freeze

So there is a 'real' possibility of a double disolution at the ALP try to push there housing affordability fund which they believe is a partial solution to the housing crisis

'Labor has just 26 of the 76 Senate spots and believes it could win two or three extra Senate seats with a double dissolution.'

The Greens do not believe the bill goes far enough and they are 'demanding the government spend $2.5 billion a year on housing and pay the states to implement a nationwide freeze or capping of rents. The government says the former is unaffordable and the latter unconstitutional.'

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/full-term-double-dissol…

The LNP has some what broke up as Bridget Archer has broken ranks and offered her vote in support of the ALP Bill potentially other MPs will as well
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/liberal-rebel-splits-wi…

personally - i am 100 percent behind this bill passing i think the idea of a rent freeze will do more harm then good and i do believe this bill will help some Australians, id like to see bipartisen support from the two majors the Greens are asking for too much. However i acknowledge im not a 'renter' and some renters will be feeling the cost of living pinch so much they might be on the verge of homelessness and they are looking for the Greens/LNP to push for a better deal to help them. I also acknowledged im in a wealthy enough position to not 'worry' about cost of living and that some voters would feel incredbiliy let down by the way the ALP have left them to struggle without much/if any support and any more cost pressures will see them hit breaking point.

Poll Options

  • 160
    Yes Freeze the rent for 2 years
  • 762
    No do not Freeze rents it not a practical solution
  • 25
    I dont know

Comments

      • but none of that explains why housing should be a business that extracts money from the real economy

  • The Feds should be focusing an a referendum to allow price fixing, instead of "The Voice".

    The Greens should be focusing on cancelling the Stage 3 "Tax Cuts for the Rich", which will reduce Federal tax receipts by $26 billion per year. Add in the fact that Australia has a 1 trillion dollar deficits. Soon there will be massive cuts to programs that aid the disadvantaged.

    I hope Elmo goes for a Double Dissolution. I cannot wait to give this pack of economic vandals the boot. All the ALP cares about is helping the rich get even richer. If Albo's mother had of been born in the 90s, she would be living in a tent, and there would be no Albo.

  • +1

    Not sure what a rent freeze achieves.

    You're just delaying the inevitable? In 2 years your rent will now go up $200…. It's a Bandaid fix.

    • +1

      Bandaid fix is the mantra of socialism….people just dont realise it

      • -1

        People are so annoying

  • I'm a lifelong Greens voter and a landlord, yet I too disagree with their proposal for a rent freeze. It would be an unnecessary government intervention and distort natural market forces, leading to inefficient outcomes. While renters may think this would be a helpful policy response, it won't and will leave you worse off in the long run.

    • Natural market forces? Dude the Government gave a mandate to banks to freeze or negotiate loans for all mortgages and leases during Covid. And then there was the no-eviction policy

      The Natural market forces ship sailed a long time ago and prices have pumped because of the knowledge the Government will not let investments crash.

  • +1

    Stop letting foreign investors buying up aussie properties and house prices will come down..

  • +3

    I haven’t raised the rent for over 5 years due to covid and whatever and when I plan to do so later in the year, now this?

    So to get rent in line even just under market price, I’ll have to kick the tenants out and look for new ones?

    My tenants are great, hence I didn’t raise rent during hard times. But now I’m feeling the pinch myself, who’s gonna help me?

    • -3

      You have done that yourself based on your own management of your investment. And now you're trying to ask a rhetorical question to society? Lol

      • To be fair to him, he didn’t realise it until now that
        he was living in a socialist state that’s heading towards a socialist economy.

      • Yes I did.
        So next time I’ll just be ruthless and kick people out during the pandemic when they lose their jobs.
        Thanks for the tip.

  • +1

    Banks banks banks

    Why do landlords have to bear the burden

    Oh I forgot it’s about getting rid of the middle class, so it’s impossible to jump from poor to rich

    • I blame my fellow people and their crab mentality that vote and support for these policies.

  • I'm a landlord, and have until reasonably recently been a tenant

    Landlords should not be allowed to absolutely gouge renters, but similarly landlords must be allowed to pass on costs to the renters. It is absurd to suggest that landlords should simply wear the costs and have no options to recoup! I think some metric based on local property prices/rental and CPI would do the job, not sure how exactly that would be structured but i'm sure someone could figure it out. CPI is a fairly complicated metric when you get into it, so I don't doubt that the ATO or similar could generate a generic "rental increase limit" each year for council areas or something

    • Yes I was speaking to someone who bankrupts landlords who do not pay their strata fees, it seems tenants fail to think it can be worse if they have to rent housing from government or corporations.

      • -2

        Or bankrupt landlords and drive housing prices lower so people can own their own homes.

        Guess what you don't need 2+ homes.

        • It doesn’t work that way. it seems tenants fail to think it can be worse if they have to rent housing from government or corporations.

          • @grasstown: Look at the US. They have a fairly different landlord-tenant arrangement which seems to lean towards people owning entire blocks of apartments, and there's way more slumlords, need for rent control etc

            • +1

              @jellykingdom: In many places rent control is what creates the slumlords in the US, what sane landlord would want to upgrade their slum knowing they are stuck with the same rental income regardless of how good they make it.

      • "was speaking to someone who bankrupts landlords who do not pay their strata fees"

        I wanted to know about this… there is such a landlord on my building.

  • -1

    This is actually an amazing idea. It will not only penalize all greedy investment property holders and limit rent increases but will slow down inflation and push property prices lower. One solution for all problems in Aus.
    Penalize all landlords because their greed has led to a skewed housing market, where they cash in on big money while most Australians don't have a place to live.

  • +2

    Can we do a 2 year interest rate freeze as well?

  • -6

    Good idea, vote for the Greens everyone!

    Greedy fat landlords need to be kept in check, not only must rent be capped but also an investment property tax be added to their rental income

    Like……a 30% investment property luxury tax, because owning an investment property is a luxury most don’t have, so it must be taxed to ensure the common prosperity of all Australians.

    The middle class and the rich have had their way for far too long.

    The tax should increase for every extra investment property owned, ie. second investment property 40% tax and so on until 90%, then a penalty tax is introduced for all investment properties amounting to 10% of the entire value of the portfolio

    I’m sure most Australians would agree with me

    Only the greedy unAustralian rich morons would disagree and neg this post

    • Yes !

    • Like……a 30% investment property luxury tax, because owning an investment property is a luxury most don’t have, so it must be taxed to ensure the common prosperity of all Australians.

      What are you taxing though? People with an investment property pay tax on the rent they get. Most "investment properties" weren't bought as investment properties, they were bought to live in and then eventually became "investment properties".

      There needs to be a different term for the 2 IMO. Buying a house to rent it out is different to renting out the family home of 25 years because you've moved to another house. They shouldn't both be called "investment properties".

  • -4

    Practicality aside, it would be fun to see landlords get punished on comedic levels and as harshly has renters have been. At the end of the day it is an investment… other investments like bitcoin and fintech get fked over by regulation all the time… why do landlords always have to be coddled like fragile little princesses? lol.

    Private landlords may most likely not exist in the future or be forced to sell anyway with how unsustainable this system is. Libs have lost their minds and have become unvotable, Labour has no balls and are afraid of pissing off Murdoch too much… looks like the Greens are going to be the shiniest of all 3 turds next election, so this space is going to be entertaining.

    • 😂
      Let’s just assume for a moment that all the investment properties have been sold off and now owned by landlords. With only one house per family. As of today.

      With same population in Aus this day, has this solved your problem? There’s no one needing the rental?
      What would they do now? Backpacking? Hotels?

      The real issue is still the housing supply. Freezing the rent is possible only when this is looked upon from both the sides. Else it hush hush.

      • Lol, housing markets survived before private landlords were common, they can survive without them. Temporary rental markets can be handled by Government-led incentives, non-profit organisations and regulated private businesses… that's just at the top of the list. Many of these are already being implemented. Boomers with multiple investment properties that have voted for the garbage state of affairs we are currently in can go eat shit. Greens already have my vote next election purely for this reason. Go get a 'real' job or invest in the stock market, lol.

        • Okay okay. But you didn’t answer my question? Where would they go to live?

          Edit: your vote is your right and I do not have any comment on that.

          • @PopCounty:

            you didn’t answer my question? Where would they go to live?

            I did. Perhaps try reading what I wrote a few more times so it registers, or ask chatgpt to give you an ELI5 explanation. This is not rocket science or anything new. Other countries are already de-incentivising private landlords from gaming the system. There are countries withe even 5 year rent freezes and rental regulations that are 10x stronger than ours. Meanwhile on ozbargain there are landlords crying about communism because of 2 year rent freezes and making posts asking how they can sue their tenants when a $500 30 year old toilet breaks….

  • +1

    What is this? Communism?

    So many costs, fees, taxes, interest rates on home owners yet if you are lazy, useless goverments will be looking after with the ideal, useful, hardworking people's taxes.

    This is beyond comical.

  • Do you go to McDonald's and say "you have so many branches already, give me a free bigmac?"

    Eating is as important as shelter, you know.

    • Your analogy doesn't work because it's a lot easier to find a substitute for McDonald's. For example, buy cheap clearance food and cook it yourself.
      If you're homeless even if you could build your own house and had the materials you still need the land. I still don't think mortgage holders should get shafted, but there's people out there having to choose between food and shelter that's not something that should be happening in a developed nation.

  • +3

    When out of power, they frequently propose populist measures that are unrealistic, but once they ascend to power, they never fulfill the promises they've made. Implementing such proposals would essentially spell ruling party's own downfall. Their primary objective is to foster dissatisfaction among the voting populace, inciting them to vote for change. Such a system is deeply problematic.

    • -2

      When out of power, they frequently propose populist measures that are unrealistic, but once they ascend to power, they never fulfill the promises they've made. Implementing such proposals would essentially spell ruling party's own downfall. Their primary objective is to foster dissatisfaction among the voting populace, inciting them to vote for change. Such a system is deeply problematic.

      In fairness, sounds like our current PM he made a lot of promises pre-election has broken almost all of them when he got the job….

      • +1

        Yes, which is why I stated that it is a systemic problem.

        Nothing they say is effectively binding so we must only rely on their actual historical performance and the effect of their policies after their term ends which is quite complicated.

        In all fairness, Labour did give us Universal healthcare, pension scheme, disability insurance, cheap higher education loans and had proposed Minerals Resource Rent Tax that taxed 30% from super-profits a decade ago(we lost billions here). Personally, medicare policy has been lifesaving and improved the quality of life for me.

      • In fairness, sounds like our current PM he made a lot of promises pre-election has broken almost all of them when he got the job

        [Citation sorely needed]

        • agree.

          That said I can't see a second Albo term. The MSM has already. decided backed by a massive dog whistle and a nation full of willing puppies with big open ears. A DD would wipe the ALP out, which would be a disaster for decades. We are already being smashed by an American invasion.Imagine the toady spud in charge. Gawd help Straya

          • +1

            @Protractor:

            A DD would wipe the ALP out, which would be a disaster for decades

            I categorically disagree; why do you have this opinion of yours?

            Labor are, rightly so, feeling very confident about this DD manoeuvre because they have very little chance to come away as a loser.

            What might they lose? A a seat or two maximum to the Greens.

            What are they going to gain in the current political landscape? An absolute heap of LNP seats off the back of Albo's popularity and Dutton's insane unpopularity. We're coming off the back of a huge amount of fresh corruption allegations on the back of current and historic corruption stories, Robodebt, LNP corruption in NSW etc.

            They have the opportunity to pick up so many seats from the LNP that it will relegate them to Opposition for a decade.

            I know people have this deluded idea that the Greens are going to wipe away a lot of the ALP's vote but there is literally nothing to indicate that this will happen.

            Best case is Labor pick up a heap more senate positions - that'd be ideal.

            Labor aren't planning on a Hail Mary here; they have had a 100 years in politics to hone their craft. The 2022 election campaign was run to perfection (as much as people can't admit to it).

            They're in the zone right now - I recommend you take a step back and look at the facts objectively.

            I, for one, would love to see the results of a DD.

            • @ThithLord: "why do you have this opinion of yours?"
              because I walk around awake
              Right now every racist has been dog whistled from beneath a rock, and what should have been a healing moment for this corrupted stolen and raped paradise. That has afforded these forces from the top down, and in every swamp in town, to justify not only not voting for the ALP at the next election, they have unwittingly created a fear factory with no end to its stretch.
              Before the referendum was passed, YES had a 50/50 chance on a good day with a MSM and social media blackout. ( a scenario which doesn't exist)
              So here we are. The lies and spin and overt racism is on full display, and has always been the MSM, LNPs DNA (and a majority of citizens post 1970, when we started importing cohorts who dragged that referendums goodwill backwards) , ever since.
              The NO campaign is backed by foreign players as well. Sound democratic to you?

              TLDR. The dog whistling will last for the foreseeable near future.
              Good luck with the DD. The country needs the LNP like a butcher needs a vegan

              Also notice how the AFP suddenly backed Dutton? So even if NACC go after the LNP, now look at the 'mysterious' unrelaibility of the actual AFP FFS. This situation now almost neuters the NACC

              The AFP seems to have had a right wing "flavour" for far too long IMO.

              • @Protractor:

                because I walk around awake

                No need for snide remarks. I am in AusPol every single day, so I am full aware of the misinformation being propagated about the Voice.

                If a DD is called the sole topic for that will be the HAFF.

                Labor have virtually no chances of reducing their lower-house seats in a DD, regardless of how many racists are coming out of the woodworks

                • @ThithLord: For somebody who works in politics you seem to have a very naive & optimistic view of the voting population. It doesn't matter what the DD is triggers by, the sheep will follow the fear bait dangled in front of them, and since Dutton played the race card, now there's more empowered racists than there is woodwork.
                  If you're good at joining dots, you could successfully see why racism has proliferated since the 1967 referendum. Hint> The 90's

                  What odds are you giving on your last sentence?

                  • @Protractor: I don't work in Politics - I meant that I partake in #AusPol discussions every day.

                    Believe whatever you like, mate. No skin off my nose. We'll see what happens in the coming months

  • +8

    The Greens are insane.. They ask for everything but do nothing.

  • Cool.
    Another thread giving advice on highly technical and advanced economic and social policy, but the poster isn't educated enough to spell.
    Kinda makes me think you're not educated on highly technical and advanced economic and social policy enough to make considered comment about it, and are just reinforcing your political views or own personal economic circumstances.

    • So not making typos makes people educated economic experts? I swear people who nitpick about silly things like this just scream to the world that they're unilingual and have no notable achievements apart from their english grades in highschool.

    • Spot on. But your opinion would apply absolutely, categorically to Max CM

  • +2

    Many have said it, to freeze the rent, then the cost of generating the rental income should be freeze too such as interest rate, water bill, land tax. Then everything will be freeze, daily expenses, public transports, salary, the income tax that we can generate for the governments, so basically we are freezing the economy. While the rest of the world is growing, who sincerely think it is a good decision?

    • -1

      Yeah out of everything that people should be asking the government to freeze, rental prices should be down the bottom. Petrol prices are a good one that should be on the top of the list. Petrol should not be a "for profit" thing. Electricity prices should have been frozen long ago, along with the bullshit "daily service charge" and "solar feedback fee" fees they tack on. Toll road fees should be frozen, or even better they should be removed once the road itself has been paid off + a bit of interest.

      • OK, I am not sure if this post is missing its /s

        • Interested to hear why you disagree? What do you and the downvoters disagree with?

          People want the government to be able to tell people they're not allowed to charge more for their service, yet they don't want the government to put a cap on rampant price gouging by companies? Huh?

          • +1

            @MrFunSocks: Not a downvoter… Just wasn't sure, upvoted now as I agree freezing rents won't solve the problem. Freezing rents won't make a single additional property available, it may just do the opposite.

          • @MrFunSocks: Landlord?

            • @Protractor: Yes. Current tenures of tenants 25+ years (same tenant since I bought the property) and another 15+ years.
              Reasonable rent and leave them alone seems to work.

      • +1

        I don't know how feasible your suggestions are but they are absolutely a far better thing to tackle than the ridiculous housing market in this country. It's just political suicide to go after the property market.

      • We cannot freeze petrol prices as petrol is primarily an import. You are either paying for it now, or later through taxes. The only ones who could freeze are the Saudis so good luck with that.

  • -3

    Lay off the lattes and get a hair cut

  • On the on hand promote capitalism and free market economy, on the other hand punish those who are better capitalits. Nope, this is not gonna work and only become worse for the renters.

  • rent freeze = about 20% of low-income renters becoming homeless. investors are not stupid, they will simply move their money to other investment classes. less investors equals less rental stock, sky-high rental prices and astronomical demand for the remaining stock

  • -3

    I'd personally love for a bunch of landlords to go broke, but I'd be worried corpos like Zillow would fill the gap, which would probably be worse

  • +6

    The greens' only solution is "let's give free money to such and such", like children who don't understand the complexity of economy of this scale.

  • +2

    How about an interest freeze, utility freeze, inflation freeze, better yet, just subsidise renters by freezing politicians salaries. No? Get bent then.

  • +1

    The government should build multiple unit complexes around the major cities as public housing complexes to ease the demand.

    It would also make sense to intentionally make it less desirable ie shared kitchen/bathrooms to really help those in need rather than everyone that’s trying to save a buck.

    • +1

      Capitalism is the only way to better living for all. The poor are much better off how it was to how it is now.

    • +1

      We need to cut back immigration. Housing availablity and general infrastructure needs to catch up. That is all.

  • +2

    ….you will live in ze pods and eat ze bugs!!!

  • +2

    Funny how it's the crazy policies from government that cause this massive inflation… then you ask the government to 'fix' it with the worse policies ever

    Climate nonsense
    Insane levels of Covid spending ($85 MILLION a day on PCR tests alone - which aren't even tests…)
    etc etc

    Welcome to Agenda 2030, enjoy the ride (because you won't be able to have a car soon)

    • +1

      Let me guess, you'll own nothing and be happy! ?

    • +1

      SAmerica rang and left a message for you. " Check their mid winter temps"

      Got any new recipes?

  • +2

    I don't have a property investment, but if I did and rent was freezed, I would just put my property for short term / air bnb, easy.

  • +3

    Stupid idea of manipulating a free market. Why not freeze petrol price or government set price of everything?
    The stupid idea will not benefit neither renter nor landlord.
    From landlords' perspective, the increase every two years will be significant to cover the additional expenses over the past two years. Some landlord may sell the rental property which potentially reduce supply of rental properties and increase the weekly rental.

    From tenants' perspective, rental will be increased anyway. If the government damaged the market the rental may be increased more than the free market.

    • +2

      How is it a free market when the government subsides it through policy and only encourages it to go up due to the obvious conflicts of interest those in it have with their multiple IPs?

      • +1

        It's not a free market, never has been. Government has been subsidising investors for many years.

  • I'd support a compulsory doubling of rents followed by a 3 year compulsory rent freeze.

  • police real estate agents better , thats your problem

  • -2

    Make it 3 years. The gravy train is over, get real jobs boomers. The clown party that supported you lifestyles have been voted out. Labour have been found to be too passive too. Next up is the Greens. Cope and seethe.

  • +3

    For anyone who even walked past an economics 101 lecture, this is an absurd idea.

    Good way to either ensure most rentals turn to the black market without proper leases or conditions, or landlords simply withdraw from the market.

    If someone tells me I can't rent my spare room for $x then I'll just leave it empty, and 2 people (me and the person without a room) both suffer.

    • Good way to either ensure most rentals turn to the black market without proper leases or conditions, or landlords simply withdraw from the market.

      Wait I thought landlords were being bent over the barrel by rate rises and were merely passing down costs. You're telling me they can all afford to just leave their properties empty for 2 years? Which is it?

      The Greens policy is for a temporary freeze (to prices that've already skyrocketed) to prevent further damage to people who need places to live. This is coupled with major investment in social housing to provide downward pressure on rents and prices.

  • +5

    Another hairbrained financial idea from non other than the greens. Appealing to populism as usual rather than basing on sound economic evidence.

    Genius!

  • +4

    Its such a bad time to be in the rental market.

    In a free market, landlords cant raise rents because they have increased costs. Free market rent is whatever the demand is. Oversupply means lots of empty places and rents go down, which creates less supply, so rents start to go up. Its a natural balance.

    Because of the supply issues with housing (new build approvals at all time lows, material and labor shortages from covid, empty buildings etc..), the demand for rentals has completely outstripped supply. This is why you see 100 people going to an open home, and people offering more than market rent to get places. Not because of rising interest rates. This is also why house prices are so high even though interest rates are going up: People need housing but there isn't enough supply.

    As a landlord you'd be silly to turn down what is basically free money. While they are seen as the bad guys, they are just taking what they can get.

    Really the current situation is now a COVID & government failure. Lowering interest rates wont help (Rents started going up before the interest rates did). They need to get new supply to market. But that is a long term, multi-faceted fix. (quicker approvals and more materials & labor supply still mean 6+ months to get the houses built).

    So here we are throwing out short term ideas that the government can implement to fix the issue:

    • Rent freezes.
    • Empty house taxes (cost of owning a second house and not living in it goes up).
    • Tax breaks for building & renting new properties.
    • Lowering of stamp duty to get people to move into smaller houses.
    • Limiting short term rentals (AirBnB).
    • +2

      I think the elephant in the room here is all the supply side solutions will only be done in a way that doesn’t impact current house prices.

      • The elephant is humans
        The room is a phone box

      • Yep. It's a complete mess.

    • +1

      Do all that while ignoring obvious source of the problem - excessive immigration - and hope it works.

  • Disagree. I would instead focus more broadly on increasing renters rights. In a lot of cases, renting is still more affordable than buying, both upfront and ongoing. The problem with renting is that you never have long term security (12 month leases are generally the max), you never feel like it's actually you're home (very limited customisation options, can't get pets w/out permission etc.), and you have landlords/PMs expecting houses to be handed back as if you never lived in it. A rent freeze solves none of these issues.

  • So Re they gonna freeze interest rates for IPs too in that case..
    As usual gov supporting banks and not the ppl

  • Punishes the Landlords who don't raise rent, compared to those that have recently

    Having said that, how are they going to get around end of lease rises. As a landlord, end lease kick out tenent, and raise rent under a NEW contract to the next person. Its not a rent rise as its to a different person

    One of the new rules would force landlord to lease for 2 years, but then not all tenents want 2 year lease.

    So many issues

    If its a 'hard' Rent freeze on property, it discourages renovations a significant contributor to the economy in terms of works and supplies bought

  • +3

    If there's a rent freeze, freeze Andrews' salary to that he received in year one of being Premier. Would only be fair.

  • I haven't increased the rent on my home for about 3 years. I have a long term tenant who looks after the place and is happy. Rent is about $100 a week less than current market rate. If she moves out, I want to be able to increase the rent in line with the rest of the market. Otherwise I won't be increasing the rent even though my repayments have increased significantly.

  • -1

    The solution: if born here in Australia you are entitled to land, Indigenous, anyone born in Australia and has a birth of right, or Mary someone here for rights to land(this countries just a husk of UK and America)

    Any moron none born can buy up here and shit on everyone's parade.

  • -2

    Have a referendum. You have two choices: 1. Rent freeze for 2 years or 2. No negative gearing for 2 years.

    Would be an interesting experiment.

    • Wow the whole country is now going to go thru an experiment and see what works. What a brilliant idea

  • Would make more sense to just flat out ban airbnb in Australia, i guarantee that would bring down rent prices.

  • How about freezing the price of houses as well then? What a stupid solution.

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