On the 3rd of July, submissions closed for the government’s Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill, which would change the relationship between landlords and their tenants. The bill is aimed at addressing the current housing crisis and availability of rentals. Particularly, it does this by reintroducing the 90 day no-cause termination for periodic tenancies, which the government claims will allow landlords to take on tenants they perceive to be a risk.
The proposed changes have been criticised by renters rights advocates, who say the changes further tip the power imbalance between landlords and tenants. Particularly, tenants could experience terminations for little to no reason, sometimes with notice of as little as six weeks.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Sam Uffindell about the bill and how it could impact tenants, especially in the currently turbulent rental market.