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.
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Archive
Cost of Australia’s aged care system to soar to $36bn a year if cheapest royal commission reforms adopted
Elias Visontay The Guardian (No paywall)Australia’s aged care system will require at least $36bn each year if the Morrison government adopts the royal commission’s cheapest recommendations to address neglect and abuse and realise a right of care for older Australians, economists have calculated. The roughly $9bn per year additional cash will be required to fund tens of thousands of extra home care packages, and the cost of increasing staff qualifications, ratios and pay across home and residential aged care.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/mar/03/australia…
# Hot topic Australia, Federal Government, Older people.Relying on casuals in aged care will weaken royal commission's reforms, experts warn
Elias Visontay The Guardian (No paywall)Unions and aged care experts are outraged that the royal commission into the sector has not recommended a clear path away from the “overcasualisation” of the system’s workforce, warning the extra time residents are set to receive with carers will ultimately feel “transactional” and detrimental to dementia sufferers if providers can still rely on labour hire agencies.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/mar/05/relying-o…
# Hot topic Australia, Federal Government, Older people.Perth electric shock victim Denishar Woods and family sue state in massive damages claim
Tess Ingram The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The family of Denishar Woods, the young girl left with severe brain injuries after suffering an electric shock at a public housing property in 2018, is suing the state in a series of claims advocates say could amount to millions of dollars.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/western-australia/perth-electric…
# Legal significance Australia, Public and community housing, Utilities electricity water gas, Minimum habitability standards.Dog walkers and subsidised rent: Inside Qld’s first build-to-rent tower
Matt Dennien The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Parking spaces will be offered separately to apartments and tenants will be able to book private areas or dog walkers through an app in one of the inner-Brisbane apartment towers to take shape under Queensland’s fledgling build-to-rent scheme.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/queensland/dog-walkers-and-subsi…
# Australia, Rent, Affordable housing, Housing market.Homeless people stuck in ‘unsuitable, sometimes dangerous’ accommodation
Jewel Topsfield The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The Victorian government will consider a controversial proposal that would compel developers to include social housing in all new major housing developments. A parliamentary inquiry into the state’s homelessness crisis warned homeless people are stuck indefinitely in sometimes dangerous motels, rooming houses and caravan parks due to a lack of long-term housing.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/homeless-people-stuck-i…
# Australia, Public and community housing, Homelessness.Landcom pays $100m more than seller’s evaluation for site near Sydney
Matt O'Sullivan The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)The NSW government’s property development arm agreed to pay $258 million for an 873-hectare block in Sydney’s hinterland last year, $102 million more than the seller’s valuer had estimated it was worth just 12 months earlier.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/landcom-pays-100m-more-than-…
# NSW, Planning and development, State Government.The first landlord has been charged in a 'sex for rent case'
Jennifer Savin (No paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Close to four years ago, Cosmopolitan reported on the practice of predatory 'landlords' offering vulnerable women free (or heavily discounted) accommodation in exchange for sexual favours. Now, in a landmark new case, the first ever landlord has been charged in a 'sex for rent'-based trial. (Cosmopolitan)
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a35708519/landlord-charg…
# International, Rent, Landlords and agents, Women.Rental crisis
(No paywall)Bidding wars are breaking out over rental properties; leaving the most vulnerable out on the streets.
# Hot topic, Video NSW, Rent, Affordable housing, Homelessness, Regional NSW.