The Victorian Greens have listed the Victorian Parliament for rent in a tongue-in-cheek bid to increase pressure on the Premier to establish an immediate two-year rent freeze.
The Greens say with 132 ‘bedrooms’ and 27 bathrooms, the centrally located building would make a perfect share house in the middle of a housing crisis.
Right now, 82 per cent of renters are experiencing housing stress with many renters just one rent rise away from homelessness.
Despite this, the Victorian Labor Government has taken no action to date.
It made zero commitments to support renters in the lead up to the State Election and ignored them in the recent State Budget.
Following tireless pressure and negotiations with the Greens, the Government recently indicated it was considering options to address the crisis including rent controls and the regulation of short-stays.
But the Greens say that each day the Government delays strong action, more and more renters will be thrown into housing stress and homelessness.
Victorian Greens renters’ rights spokesperson, Gabrielle de Vietri, said while politicians are sitting in the lush rooms and halls of Parliament, renters are being forced to sleep in cars or tents to make ends meet.
She said the Government needed to urgently implement renter safeguards including a two-year rent freeze followed by a cap on rent increases, strong short-stay regulations, and a strengthened vacancy tax.
As stated by Victorian Greens renters’ rights spokesperson, Gabrielle de Vietri MP:
“If you’re one of the countless renters across Victoria looking for a secure and affordable place to call home, it would be hard to beat the Parliament House.
“It comes with high ceilings, high security and all the luxuries that politicians think most renters don’t need, like working heating, no black mould, no roof leaks and manicured gardens.
“We are in a housing crisis that will only get worse unless the Victorian Labor Government implements urgent renter safeguards like a two-year rent freeze.
“While the Government continues to delay reform, many renters are one rent rise away from homelessness, and being forced to choose between putting food on the table or keeping a roof over their heads.”
