‘Forgotten people’: Major parties urged to support renters

The two major parties have been accused of forgetting about nearly a third of all Australians in the build up to the federal election.

Renters are the “forgotten people” this election cycle as both major parties abandon nearly 31 per cent of the nations voters.

In the build-up to the federal election on May 3, the two major parties have both set out to help first home buyers, but have announced very little support for those who are priced out of the market.

Home in Place group executive manager Martin Kennedy said the major parties have made renters seem invisible and turned their attention on more heavily indebting first home buyers.

“Renters are being ignored,” he said.

“I like to describe them as the new forgotten people and it’s been a long running thing.

“We’ve had this obsession with helping people get bigger mortgages for decades, while people over the last few years are being asked to swallow 40 per cent rent increases.”

The 1 in 3 Aussies who rent have been the “forgotten people” of this election. Picture: NewsWire / Simon Bullard.

Mr Kennedy’s comments come as both parties have used the election build up to announce support for aspiring first home buyers, but nothing for those who rent.

“The deal was supposed to be you do the right thing, put your head down, you’ll earn a comfortable life, get a decent job and be able to afford a decent home,”

“People who think you can let house prices inflate to infinity and the solution is just dream up new ways to help people afford the buy in price by making them eldible for bigger debt, forget the fact that at the end of the day only ends one way.”

“We end up in a country that God forbid you need to go to the hospital, you might be treated by a nurse who’s been sleeping in her car for the last six months, and is that the place you want to be?”

Labor set a target of 1.2 million new homes by 2029, expanding the Homes for Australian Plan, announced the Help to Buy Schemes – with the government playing the role of the bank of mum and dad, and a Home Guarantee Scheme which allows first home buyers to get in with a 5 per cent deposit.

The Liberal Party will let Aussies take up to 40 per cent or $50,000 out of their super, allow first home buyers to claim the taxes on the interest paid on a first home up to $650,000 of a mortgage and have also vowed to maintain the Home Guarantee Scheme Program.

The two majors agree on banning foreign ownership temporarily and neither say they will make any changes to negative gearing.

Both Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton’s policies will see Australians in more debt. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

Both Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton’s policies will see Australians in more debt. Picture: Richard Dobson / NewsWire

The Real Estate Institute of Australia president, Leanne Pilkington said the group welcomed both parties’ reforms, although highlights they need to go further to help with housing affordability.

“Both major parties firmly recognise that housing is a priority issue for voters.

“This election presents a real opportunity to deliver the long-term policy reform needed to make home ownership a reality for more Australians, the incoming Government will be judged on its ability to turn policy into actual houses.”

The REIA say a lack of supply remains the issue stopping more Australians get into the market.

Mr Kennedy said both parties are simply driving up house prices with policies that do not help Aussies in the long run.

“There is nothing of any substance for renters and realistically in the long run, even the stuff that’s been announced for first home buyers is ultimately counter-productive because all of it, literally all of it, is based on helping people access a bigger pile of debt which ultimately feeds into house prices,” Mr Kennedy said.

Both parties have left renters behind. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

The lack of help comes for renters as research from Anglicare shows the cost of living is deepening, with six in 10 saying they are worse off than 12-months ago.

According to the charity, 61 per cent of those considering or receiving food and financial assistance say housing affordability is significantly impacting their daily lives, forcing impossible choices between rent, groceries, and other essentials.

Everybody’s Home spokesperson Maiy Azize agreed, saying neither side of politics is addressing the fundamental issue, prices being “just too high”.

“Most of the things that we’ve seen [from the major parties] will add fuel to the fire and make house prices more expensive,” Ms Azize said.

“Anytime that you’re making it easier for more people to compete at auctions and make bids without increasing the supply of affordable homes, the only people that you’re really benefiting are people who are selling.

Ms Azize said a lot of homeowners themselves would benefit from a slight decline in house prices as it would give them the flexibility to move.

“The only reason that you want house prices to go up is so that you could afford these other ridiculous things on the market. The only people who benefit here are people who are a lot older, who are just downsizing,” she said.

“The problem that we’ve got is that politicians are afraid of particular constituencies, and they might not be big constituencies, but people who invest in housing, and people who are perhaps older and you know, have some retirement savings tied up in housing.”