NATO Federal Election Questionnaire 2022: Policies and priorities for a fair and secure renting system

The National Association of Tenants' Organisations (NATO) recently wrote to all larger parties (more than 2% of national polls) inviting them to respond to our Federal Election Questionnaire. We invited them to tell us about their position and policies on strengthening residential tenancy rights and increasing the supply of affordable social housing for the more than 2.1 million households across Australia who rent their homes.

Who is the National Association of Tenants' Organisations?

The National Association of Tenants’ Organisations (NATO) is a federation of state and territory based Tenants’ Unions and Tenant Advice Services across Australia. NATO’s membership comprises Tenants Queensland, the Tenants’ Union ACT, the Tenants’ Union of New South Wales, the Tenants’ Union of Tasmania, Tenants Victoria, Circle Green Legal Centre WA, and the Darwin Community Legal Service. We are the leading voice representing tenants’ interests in our respective jurisdictions and experts in the application of residential tenancy law. Collectively we resource, co-ordinate or directly provide advice regarding more than 80,000 tenancy issues each year.

The NATO Federal Election Questionnaire

We asked for the parties to share with us their policies and any relevant commitments on the following:

• Greater investment in social housing
  What will your party do to increase the supply of public and community housing in Australia?

• Increase in income support and rent assistance
  Will your party commit to increased income support including rent assistance during the next term of Government? And if so, how much?

• Greater stability and security for people who rent their homes
  Do you support stronger security of tenure provisions in residential tenancy law? If elected to Government, what action could your party take to encourage states and territories to improve security of tenure for renters?

• Energy efficient, healthy homes for renters
  How will your party ensure that minimum energy efficiency standards are regulated for rental properties in every state and territory?
   
• Reduced speculation in the housing market
  What will your party commit to doing in the next term of Government to put downward pressure on property prices and ease property speculation?
   
• Protecting renters' personal information
  What action will your party take to ensure national privacy laws are up to date and appropriate for the modern renting sector?
   
• Ensure renters' voices are heard and can receive high quality advice and assistance
  What will your party do to ensure renters’ voices are heard in the national conversation, and can receive high quality advice and assistance when facing legal needs?

The full NATO Federal Election Questionnaire is available here. We will be publishing all responses 11 May, or after that as we receive them. We will be publishing the responses in full (within a maximum word length) and without comment

For Candidates and Parties

The full survey can be accessed here, and a template for responses here. Please send your responses to nationalassociation@tenants.org.au as soon as possible for inclusion in the responses.

Want to be part of the conversation?

Along the way we're also encouraging you to be part of the conversation and share your thoughts on the issues. Join us in conversation on the Tenants’ Union of NSW Facebook page about the kinds of commitments you’d like to see from the parties and independent candidates. 

What commitments for a fair and secure renting system do you to see from the parties and independent candidates?