Regional Rental Affordability

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (14:53): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question without notice to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development on the topic of renting in the regions.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS: A joint study released today by the Australian Council of Social Service and the University of New South Wales has found that one in five Australian private renters are living without two or more essential items and that 22 per cent of renters are now living below the poverty line as the nation's dual housing affordability and cost-of-living crises continue. Chief Executive of ACOSS, Cassandra Goldie, told ABC's 7.30 that:

This report paints a very grim picture in terms of deprivation for large numbers of people on low incomes across the country.

We're [also] very worried about the rates of evictions all over the country with rents going up, people in the private rental market, if you're on JobSeeker, there is literally nowhere that's affordable for you to live.

My question to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development therefore is: when will the Malinauskas government finally take action to rein in soaring rent prices in South Australia's regions?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:55): I thank the honourable member for his question. The issue of rental affordability is one, I am sure, that comes up to probably everyone in this chamber and in this parliament on a regular basis. We know that across the country there is an affordability crisis both in terms of purchasing a property to live in and also in terms of being able to access rental properties and, in particular, affordable rental properties.

In terms of specifically in the regions, we know that those issues can be different in different areas. Probably in no area, however, is there an abundance of rental properties available. The incredibly small amounts of rental availability I think have been well documented, and I hope most in this place would be well aware of that.

The Malinauskas Labor government has done a great deal in terms of trying to address this issue, which has, after all, developed over many years under governments of both types. Changes to family structures, changes to much within our communities, mean that the types of housing that were suitable perhaps 40 or 50 years ago are not necessarily suitable for today's families, in addition to more mobility of people and various other changes within society.

The establishment of the Office for Regional Housing was a key initiative of this government because, as a government, we recognise that there need to be different solutions in different areas. Different industries, different demands on the labour force, different shortages of particular skills: all of these things feed into the factors that make different regions experience the issues that we are talking about in different ways.

The government has also made changes to the rules around tenancies, and they of course apply in regional areas as well as in the city. But the issue of supply of housing is key, and that is why there has been such a large amount of focus on that. In regional areas, it can often be complicated by the fact that there is no such other infrastructure or the infrastructure might be at the limits of its capacity. It is something that requires an ongoing and coordinated approach and, I would certainly hope, multipartisan support.