Renters in Eden-Monaro are paying thousands of dollars more this year to keep a roof over their head, making it harder and harder to get ahead when wages have flatlined.
Housing affordability in the region has gotten significantly worse in recent years, especially for families, students, pensioners, and young people, who rent.
Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain said while rent has skyrocketed across most of the country, parts of Eden-Monaro have been hit the hardest.
“Everywhere I go across Eden-Monaro, I hear the same thing, we are in a housing crisis and people are at the point that they don’t know how they will keep paying their rent,” Kristy said.
“In places like Yass and Cooma rent has gone up around 20 per cent, and yet ABS data has shown once again that real wages across the country are going backwards. This means families are having to choose between paying rent and putting petrol in the car or food on the table.
“I have met with women’s services, family services, Mission Australia and housing providers across the region and they all tell the same story – they are supporting more and more people because we are at crisis point.
“My office has also had families come in to talk to us directly about the issues facing them - skyrocketing rent and the risk of homelessness.
“The problem is also affecting our local businesses who tell me that the lack of affordable rentals is making it near impossible for them to get the staff they need.
“This is an issue that has been getting steadily worse over a number of years and it is essential that all levels of government work to address it, this includes building more affordable housing.
“I am proud to support Labor’s policies which look to start addressing these issues including establishing the Housing Australia Future Fund which will build 30,000 social and affordable homes across the country.”
Over the first five years, an Albanese Labor Government will build:
• 20,000 new social housing properties, including 4,000 homes for women and children fleeing domestic and family violence and older women on low incomes who are at risk of homelessness; and
• 10,000 affordable homes for the heroes of the pandemic – frontline workers like police, nurses and cleaners that kept us safe in the covid pandemic.
