The demise of the national rental affordability scheme (NRAS) will increase the number of Tasmanians who struggle to put a roof over their heads.
Shadow Minister for Housing Alison Standen said Peter Gutwein and Roger Jaensch must explain what action they will take to protect people from massive rent hikes as the scheme ends.
“The end of NRAS will bring rental increases of up to 20 per cent for around 1500 properties.
“The first homes will come off the scheme this year, making a bad situation worse for Tasmanians looking for affordable rental accommodation.
“Tasmania’s rental market is already the worst in the nation. Many households are in rental stress, paying more than 30% of their income on rent.”
Ms Standen said the end date of NRAS has been well-known for some years.
“There’s no excuse for the State Government not to be prepared for this.
“Peter Gutwein and Roger Jaensch have been handed a blueprint to address the housing crisis in the form of the recommendations of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Housing Affordability. They cannot afford to ignore those recommendations.
“Failure to act will push more people onto the waiting list for public housing. There are already more than 3400 people on the priority waiting list, and even the highest priority cases are waiting more than a year to move into a home.
“The Liberals have failed to plan or accurately predict the range of factors contributing to the deteriorating situation with public housing and rental affordability.
“Their short-term, and outdated, approach to the housing crisis is failing to serve Tasmanians in need.”
Alison Standen
Shadow Minister for Housing
