NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson explains what she meant by that ‘couple of hundred bucks’ Sydney rental comment
NSW’s Housing Minister has taken to social media to explain what she really meant by that “couple of hundred bucks” Sydney rent comment.
NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson has clarified her comments after she said that people can rent for a “couple of hundred bucks” in Sydney.
Ms Jackson’s appearance on ABC Radio went viral after her comments about Sydney’s rental prices raised eyebrows.
Presenter Hamish MacDonald asked the Housing Minister about “reasonable” prices in Sydney.
“What do you reckon is a reasonable price to pay in rent for a two-bedroom flat in Sydney?” He asked.
“Sydney’s a big city, you know, I mean, a couple of hundred bucks right?” she replied.
“Where can you get a two-bedroom for a couple of hundred bucks?” MacDonald asked.
“Well a week, I dunno, there are places in Sydney you can,” she said.
Ms Jackson then explained that “not all flats are the same” and pointed out that rent can vary drastically depending on where you live.
“This is the thing about the housing market, there’s a lot of variety, like a luxe two-bed penthouse in the eastern suburbs is pretty different to a neat and tidy, two-bedroom flat next to a train station in Western Sydney,” she said.
“They’re both good homes.”
Ms Jackson’s comments hit a nerve because Sydney is experiencing a tense and expensive housing crisis.
Record-low vacancy rates are causing rental mayhem. It is hard to find a place because there’s not much on the market, and if you do score a rental, it is expensive.
Rental prices have been pushed up across the board because of vacancy rates and interest rates.
The median rental price for a two-bedroom apartment in Sydney is $920.
The Minister’s comments immediately went viral, with some renters calling her comments “out of touch” and “embarrassing”.
Others defended her and pointed out that she was asked what a reasonable rental price in Sydney was, not what the rental prices ARE in Sydney.
Ms Jackson has now responded to the backlash, saying she gave a “garbled” response, but what she said has also been taken out of context.
Responding to a clip of the interview from News.com.au’s TikTok page Ms Jackson said that live radio interviews are a “hard format”.
“Did I say that rent in Sydney is $200 dollars a week? No,” she said.
The Minister explained that she was asked what is a “reasonable rent” someone should pay in Sydney.
“Not what are people in Sydney actually paying” she exclaimed.
Ms Jackson said that she does “know” the kind of rents people in Sydney are paying.
The Minister added that her words sometimes get “mangled” and that she is not always concise when speaking on issues.
“I can be a pretty intense person whose words don’t always come out nice and synched,” she said.
“I know rent is Sydney hundreds and hundreds if not thousands of dollars.”
“That is why I talk about the housing crisis all the time; I wouldn’t do that if I thought rent was affordable. I’m trying to recognise how hard it is for people.”