Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon’s shock admission over controversial new rent limits

Queensland’s Housing Minister has admitted the government’s fast-tracked law changes to limit rent increases to once per year aren’t going as planned.

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Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon has admitted the government’s fast-tracked law changes to limit rent increases to once per year have resulted in tenants being booted from their homes.

Ms Scanlon made the shock admission on Twitter on Thursday as she launched a “discussion paper” on the issue – which outlined reforming the new laws to limit the increase to once per year on each rental property, rather than the tenancy.

“Earlier this year, laws were passed to limit rent increases to once per year to assist in stabilising rents,” she said.

“However, reports have emerged of some landlords and agents ending leases with tenants in order to increase rents more frequently than once per year.”

Earlier this year, laws were passed to limit rent increases to once per year to assist in stabilising rents. 🏡

However, reports have emerged of some landlords and agents ending leases with tenants in order to increase rents more frequently than once per year.

— Meaghan Scanlon MP (@meaghan_scanlon) July 12, 2023

Ms Scanlon went on to say: “I want to ensure that the original intent of our laws is respected”.

“We have launched a discussion paper, considering a proposal to ensure the laws are not circumvented, and that renters aren’t unfairly penalised by behaviour aimed at avoiding limits to rent increases”.

The limit on rent increase was fast-tracked through state parliament in April without going through the usual independent committee progress – a move at the time highly criticised by stakeholders like the REIQ, as well as the Greens and the LNP.

Queensland Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

Asked whether the government took responsibility for people who had faced eviction under the changes, Acting Premier and Planning Minister Steven Miles said “not at all”.

“There will always be people who will try to find loopholes, and try to find ways around the rules,” he said.

“In this case, sometimes we have to then move to adjust to deal with those loopholes and that’s what the Housing Minister has done.”

Asked whether the government should have foreseen the result of the new law changes, Dr Miles said “we are acting now”.

“You can’t foresee how industries are going to react to every single thing that you do,” he said.