Editorial: Landlords deserve better protection

It is remarkable that it took the REIQ, thousands of angry letters to the Premier’s office and a front page report in The Courier-Mail for the State Government to realise the absurdity of its proposed rental laws.

THE STATE Government’s handling on the proposed new rental laws during the Coronavirus outbreak has been a debacle, but thankfully they will now consult more widely on the issue.

It is remarkable that it took the Real Estate Institute of Queensland, thousands of angry letters to the Premier’s office and a front page report in The Courier-Mail for the Government to realise the absurdity of its plans.

Rental protection action promised after Premier’s office bombarded with complaints

Kylie Lang: Property investors are being hung out to dry

State Government needs a serious rental relief package that benefits both tenants and landlords

On Thursday, when pressed for details around which tenants would qualify for protections that will see a moratorium on evictions, Deputy Premier Jackie Trad revealed she had not yet even seen draft legislation meant to be tabled in Parliament next Wednesday.

That’s not good enough.

Mum and dad investors throughout Queensland have been left hanging, faced with the prospect of being legally forced to give rent relief for a substantial period and possibly lose their properties as a result.

Such major Government decisions need to be considered thoroughly and the Premier and her Deputy must work quickly to sort out the mess left by Housing Minister Mick de Brenni.

This is not to criticise the overall job the State Government has done throughout the Coronavirus outbreak.

Australia is showing the world how to beat the disease and Queensland’s leaders have done well so far in making bold decisions which have done wonders to flatten the curve.

But they have stuffed up this time and they need to repair the damage immediately.

Decisions made in haste often require back tracking and the Premier had better think again.

The Government has to realise that mum and dad investors with investment properties need protection, too.

No one wants to see evictions. But no one wants to see tenants exploiting loopholes either or for families to lose properties that they’ve spent years working to attain as an aid to their retirement.

Certainly there are some wealthy property investors in Queensland who can afford a short term hit, but most residential rental properties belong to working families or self-funded retirees who have paid taxes for their whole lives to provide a retirement income, rather than rely on Government welfare.

Investors usually have to pay big mortgages and hefty maintenance and utility costs on those investments.

They don’t deserve to be handed yet another financial blow during this time of isolation, social distancing, employment uncertainty and stock market volatility.

It is not too much to ask that tenants be required to provide evidence of their virus-induced hardship to their landlord.

It also isn’t too much to ask that tenants have to pay back the difference between what they normally pay and the virus discount after we have conquered this disease and our world returns to some semblance of normality.

The REIQ says the new protections are too heavily weighted towards renters and leave some landlords vulnerable to losing their properties.

Protecting tenants who have genuine hardship due to the virus is absolutely necessary.

But so is getting the balance right.

The new laws need to be fair across the board.

Perhaps the banks could freeze mortgage payments for investors faced with tenants who can’t pay or the Government could come up with a proper rental relief package, instead of a situation that could see struggling landlords required to provide free public housing on behalf of the State.

Our Government is responsible for the welfare of all Queensland citizens. That includes both tenants and investors.

GIVE THANKS TO MEDICOS

AUSTRALIA’S doctors and nurses have been at the forefront of every major Australian battle since the Boer War, more than a century ago, saving lives and lifting spirits in times of our greatest need.

It’s no different today in the current war on coronavirus as brave men and women, and their families, make great sacrifices to protect us.

Intensive care nurse Megan Davis, from Princess Alexandra Hospital, is typical of so many dedicated doctors and nurses in ICUs across the country, taking care of COVID-19 patients as we overcome this invisible adversary together. Dressed from head to toe in sweltering personal protective equipment that takes her up to 10 minutes to put on, Megan works a 12-hour shift, tending to a patient’s symptoms, making sure they have every chance to fight off this sinister disease.

And Queensland has been doing an extraordinary job in leading the world in that fight.

It’s a tough job but someone has to do it, and Queenslanders are lucky to have such diligent and determined health professionals working around the clock.

We salute you for the tremendous, tireless job you do.