Housing News Digest
Housing News Digest
The Tenants' Union Housing News Digest compiles our pick of items from all the latest tenancy and housing media, sent once per week, on Thursdays.
Below is the Digest archive from November 2020 onwards. From time to time you will find additional items in the archive that did not make it into the weekly Digest email. Earlier archives are here, where you can also find additional digests by other organisations.
Our main email newsletter, Tenant News is sent once every two months. You can subscribe or update your subscription preferences for any of our email newsletters here.
See notes about the Digest and a list of other contributors here. Many thanks to those contributors for sharing links with us.
We love sharing the news and hope you find it informative! We're very happy to deliver it for free, but if you find it valuable, can you help cover the extra costs incurred by making a donation?
Archive
David Chandler reverses resignation, stays on as building commissioner
Lucy Cormack The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)David Chandler will stay on as the NSW building commissioner after the Perrottet government convinced him to reconsider his resignation over concerns about sacked fair trading minister Eleni Petinos. The 50-year industry veteran suddenly resigned last month over concerns he had with the direction of the portfolio under Petinos, who was dumped over unrelated bullying allegations that she denies. Chandler’s damning resignation letter, which has been referred to the corruption watchdog, raised issues with Petinos’ relationship with the developer that hired former deputy premier John Barilaro. It also described “important pieces of previously canvassed legislation have now run into serious disruption” in Petinos’ office. Customer Service and Digital Minister Victor Dominello, who has since taken over the portfolio, said securing Chandler until August 2023 will lift customer confidence across residential building and construction. Also, read the article entitled: 'How minister’s sacking led to building commissioner’s resignation reversal' by the same journalists in 'The Sydney Morning Herald' at: [https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/how-minister-s-sacking-led-to-building-commissioner-s-resignation-reversal-20220826-p5bd0n.html] Read the same story in 'Government News' at: [https://bit.ly/3TlbSg4]. Read Jimmy Thomson's blog entitled: 'Chandler back as both commissioners return' on 'Flat Chat' at: [https://www.flatchat.com.au/chanler-minns-back/]
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/david-chandler-reverses-resi…
# NSW, Housing market, Minimum habitability standards, State Government.Closing the Gap: states and territories pledge to lift First Nations housing standards
Sarah Collard The Guardian (No paywall)First Nations housing must meet minimum standards by 2031, under new targets set by joint council and states and territories. State and territory governments will be required to ensure all First Nations houses in homeland communities and town camps meet or exceed minimum standards for essential services within the next decade, under new targets agreed by the joint council on Closing the Gap. The minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, the assistant minister, Malarndirri McCarthy, and their state and territory counterparts met Aboriginal peak bodies in Adelaide on Friday to discuss progress on social, health, economic and educational indicators.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/aug/26/closing-t…
# Australia, Aboriginal renters, Public and community housing, Federal Government, Minimum habitability standards, State Government.Tougher energy efficiency rules set for new homes and renovations
Natassia Chrysanthos The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)New homes and renovations costing more than $50,000 will have to meet a 7-star energy efficiency rating from October next year in NSW under upgraded rules that will force developers to play their part in driving down the state’s emissions. Large commercial developments, as well as big state projects, will also have to submit a “net-zero statement” that shows their buildings are either all-electric or can fully convert to renewable energy by 2035 if they want a green light to proceed. NSW Treasurer Matt Kean and Planning Minister Anthony Roberts will announce the measures on Monday as they unveil the NSW government’s latest sustainable housing state environmental planning policy (SEPP), which has been under scrutiny since the ambitious policy framework of former planning minister Rob Stokes was scrapped earlier this year.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/tougher-energy-efficiency-ru…
# NSW, Utilities electricity water gas, Climate change, Housing market, Minimum habitability standards.The regional towns where holiday home listings have jumped, but rentals are scarce
Tawar Razaghi The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The number of properties listed on Airbnb has skyrocketed above pre-pandemic levels in dozens of regional council areas, new figures reveal, exacerbating the rental crisis. Homes that could be used as long-term rental properties to house essential workers now exist for holiday accommodation, raising concerns ahead of this week’s jobs and skills summit that some regional towns will not be able to attract and keep staff in caring professions or hospitality. ... University of Sydney professor of urban and regional planning Nicole Gurran said the number of Airbnb properties boomed in regional areas after Australians were restricted from holidaying overseas in the earlier stage of the pandemic. “When you think of places like Muswellbrook, even though that may not have been ground zero for tourism … well-presented, short-term rental stock all of a sudden becomes an attractive investment at the same time we saw an increase in domestic tourist demand in these regional areas,” she said. Gurran said it was a perfect storm for a rental crisis in tight markets, with several factors driving huge demand in the face of an acute shortage. Tenants’ Union of NSW chief executive Leo Patterson Ross said state governments had not done enough to monitor and regulate the industry, adding that the NSW registry of short-term lets is not public and therefore opaque.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/the-regional-towns-where-ho…
# TUNSW in the media NSW, Rent, Housing market, Short-term holiday letting.They lived in Melbourne public housing for decades; they learned it would be demolished without warning
Stephanie Convery The Guardian (No paywall)Public housing residents in Port Melbourne say they have been bullied and left traumatised after the Victorian government abruptly told them they must move out of their homes to make way for the demolition of the 40-year-old beachside Barak Beacon estate. On 13 December, six representatives from Homes Victoria went house to house at Barak Beacon, giving residents the news that its 89 dwellings were to be replaced by a new development as part of the government’s Big Housing Build. The development, a mix of social housing, affordable housing and a large number of private rentals, would take until at least 2025 to complete. ... Margaret Kelly learned of the planned demolition of her home of 23 years through the mail. ... She has been trying for months to object to the new development, but feels blocked at every turn. “No matter who you write to, the only people you ever get to talk to are the relocation team. And it has certainly made me feel helpless, as if I’ve got no voice.”
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/aug/28/they-live…
# Australia, Eviction, Public and community housing, Estate renewal, State Government.Three ways to end the housing crisis now
ABC (No paywall)New statistics reveal short stay approvals increased 10 per cent in Hobart placing further pressure on the rental market. Meanwhile an economic impact statement from Everybody Home suggests over $200 million a year is being lost to the economy in regional towns like Launceston, due to lack of housing for staff. Ben Bartle, Principal Solicitor for the Tenants Union of Tasmania, says we can end the housing crisis now with three steps. (ABC Breakfast)
https://www.abc.net.au/hobart/programs/breakfast/ben-bartle-airb…
# Audio Australia, Rent, Housing market.Holiday home owners refuse plea to rent out vacant properties, say housing crisis not their fault
Dominique Bayens and Zoe Keenan ABC (No paywall)Holiday home owners in Western Australia's biggest food and wine region have refused pleas to rent out their vacant properties and say they are being treated as scapegoats for the nationwide housing crisis. The Mayor of South West tourist town Busselton, Grant Henley, is set to write to the owners of hundreds of private holiday homes to ask them to rent the properties to desperate locals. ... Holiday home owners responded angrily to the Mr Henley's plea. Davinia Gillard manages 80 holiday properties, many in Busselton and Dunsborough. "They're using these people as a scapegoat to take focus off the real issues — the lack of government housing, and a shortage of building supplies and tradesmen," she said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-25/holiday-home-owners-rejec…
# Australia, Rent, Housing market, Short-term holiday letting.Stamp duty or land tax? Economists say the one that makes the most sense is politically toxic
Laura Beavis ABC (No paywall)[On Thursday] Tasmania's Premier Jeremy Rockliff refused to rule out extending land tax to family homes, instead saying he would have a sensible conversation with the Tasmanian community. ... [and] later that same afternoon, the Tasmanian government released a statement clarifying that it had no plans to tax land with the family home on it. But with most economists, the productivity commission and the Henry Tax Review recommending a broad-based land tax, why not?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-26/tasmania-government-debat…
# Australia, Housing market, Tax.