Media release – Anglicare Tasmania, 28 April 2022
Time for national action
A national plan of investment in social housing is needed to tackle the Australia-wide shortage of affordable rentals, says Anglicare Tasmania.
The 2022 Rental Affordability Snapshot for Tasmania, released today, shows people on low incomes in our State have little hope of securing a private rental.
The Snapshot reviewed all properties listed for rent in Tasmania on a weekend in March, then assessed if they were affordable and appropriate for 14 types of households on low incomes. The Snapshot found that of the 714 properties listed statewide:
· one property (a sharehouse) was affordable and appropriate for a person on Youth Allowance;
· two properties were affordable for a single person on JobSeeker;
· four properties were affordable and appropriate for a family where both parents received JobSeeker payment;
· 16 were affordable and appropriate for a single parent family where the parent was working full time on the minimum wage;
· 22 were affordable and appropriate for a couple on the Age Pension;
· 53 were affordable for a single person on the minimum wage (mostly sharehouses).
“For a rental to be affordable, it must cost no more than 30% of household income, or that household will experience financial hardship,” said Noel Mundy, Anglicare’s General Manager Housing and Community Services. “It also needs to be appropriate. Many of these listings were for sharehouses or were located in remote or regional areas with reduced access to jobs and other supports.”
Anglicare Tasmania called for greater cooperation by all levels of government to improve access to affordable housing.
“Underinvestment in social housing comes at a cost,” said Mr Mundy. “The better path is a strong housing system to provide security and stability.”
The Snapshot shared personal stories of Tasmanians struggling to find and afford suitable housing.
“Anglicare knows that the increased cost of rentals and everyday essentials means people’s income does not stretch as far as it used to,” Mr Mundy said. “Our frontline workers are seeing people across a wider demographic experiencing financial hardship and unable to afford basics.”
“Voters desperate for action”, says Anglicare Australia
The Tasmanian information forms part of a national Snapshot compiled by the Anglicare Australia network.
Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers said that ahead of the federal election, all parties must commit to a plan of action on housing.
“There has never been a better time for candidates and political parties to step up, and make sure every Australian has a home,” she said.
“We’re calling on whoever wins the election to raise JobSeeker and other payments above the poverty line. “And we’re calling for a big boost to affordable housing,” she said. “We need 500,000 new social and affordable rentals across Australia. Investing in housing is the most powerful way to make the market more affordable, and boost regional communities doing it tough after the pandemic and floods.
“We’re asking all parties and candidates to walk the talk, and join us to end this crisis for good.”
Media release – TasCOSS, 28 April 2022
Rental affordability snapshot highlights rental crisis in Tasmania
Anglicare’s 2022 Rental Affordability Snapshot for Tasmania has highlighted the depth of the rental crisis the state is facing, releasing figures showing Tasmanians on low incomes have little hope of securing a private rental.
TasCOSS CEO Ms Adrienne Picone said the snapshot also revealed the number of rentals across Tasmania had dropped by more than half since 2014 and of the 714 rentals that were available, only two were deemed to be affordable for someone living on income support.
“In Tasmania right now, housing stress remains acute, social housing waiting lists are long and rents have soared,” Ms Picone said.
“For people on low incomes, the proportion of rent as a share of total wages has risen to unliveable levels, which is impacting their ability to do the very basics including buy food, afford healthcare and travel to school and work.
“As such, in the lead up to the federal election, TasCOSS is calling on the next federal government to lift income support to at least $70 a day and provide a 50% increase to increase to the Commonwealth Rent Assistance payment.
“Figures show that a 50% increase in Commonwealth Rent Assistance payments would add $67 million to the Tasmanian economy, or $1,740 to the average recipient household’s budget.”
Ms Picone said the pandemic showed what was possible when there is a government with the will to act — rough sleepers were housed, rental evictions were stopped and new social housing constructed to boost the economy and improve affordability.
“With the high cost of housing, immediate investment is needed to support Tasmanians into affordable housing to ensure everyone has a safe home,” she said.
“TasCOSS is also looking to the next federal government to introduce incentives to bring more private housing stock into the long-term rental market, as well as deliver incentives to shift investment in rental housing from individual investment to institutional options.
“We know that Tasmanians with a place to call home are safer, healthier and have increased opportunity to participate both socially and economically in our communities.
“With the high cost of housing, immediate investment is needed to support Tasmanians into affordable housing and ensure everyone has a safe home.”
David O’Byrne MP, Member for Franklin, 28 April 2022
Rental affordability in Tasmania hits rock bottom
A damning snapshot into Tasmanian housing affordability has revealed that not a single rental property in the state’s south is affordable to low-income Tasmanians on income support.
The 2022 Rental Affordability Snapshot for Tasmania, released by Anglicare today, highlights the devastating reality of the state’s worsening housing crisis.
Member for Franklin David O’Byrne has described the findings as utterly devastating, but unfortunately not surprising.
“For families on Centrelink, there was not a single rental property that was affordable for them in southern Tasmania,” said Mr O’Byrne.
“For an individual on JobSeeker, only two rental properties in the entire state were affordable – and both were in the north.
“Two Premiers ago in 2018, Will Hodgman convened a crisis summit to address Hobart’s worsening housing affordability. Since that time, rental prices have skyrocketed, and the number of social housing applicants languishing on the wait list has blown out past 4,400.
“If rental affordability was a crisis in 2018, then what do you call it now? What’s it going to take for the new Premier and Housing Minister to step up and take responsibility for addressing it?
“The current policies of the State Government aren’t working, and haven’t been working for a number of years. More of the same failing policies won’t cut it – a new approach is needed immediately.
“This chronic shortage of affordable housing has a flow-on effect to many other government services, negatively impacting the education and health outcomes of those affected. It’s no longer just about rents going up; it’s about the wellbeing and financial security of thousands of Tasmanians.”
The 2022 Rental Affordability Snapshot for Tasmania examined every property available to rent in Tasmania during a weekend in March. Of the 323 rental vacancies examined in the State’s south, not a single one was deemed affordable for an individual on Centrelink or the Disability Support Pension.
