Clayton Barr MP has welcomed the decision to recall the NSW Parliament to debate the Berejiklian Government’s woefully inadequate rental package, which does nothing to help tenants or mum and dad investors, after MPs offices have been inundated with worried calls from tenants and landlords.
Shadow Minister for Consumer Protection, Julia Finn, said the current package wasn’t going to help hundreds of thousands of tenants and landlords across the state, and that NSW Labor would seek to vastly improve the package at a recall of the Parliament in May.
“People are terrified. Tenants are terrified they’ll be evicted or saddled with mountains of debt after this health crisis is over, and landlords are worried they won’t receive the rental income they need to pay the mortgage or to put food on the table,” said Ms Finn.
“The current proposal for land tax rebates for landlords is utterly hopeless and will only help the 16% of landlords who actually pay land tax.
“What the Berejiklian Government is really saying is that there’s $440 million to help the wealthiest 16% and everyone else can fend for themselves, it’s shameful.”
In the Electorate of Cessnock 17,932 people pay rent which is 26.1% of the Electorate, with median rents hovering around $295.00 per week. An almost across the board shut down of the hospitality and retail sectors has already seen 19.9% in Electorate of Cessnock out of work or with reduced hours, many of these workers struggling to get by on JobSeeker or Job Keeper.
6,150 landlords across the Electorate will also be feeling the pinch, with the package announced by the Berejiklian Government only helping less 1 in 5 landlords.
“I have been inundated with calls and emails from worried tenants and landlords,” said Mr Clayton Barr.
“As a landlord myself I want to look after my tenants but all we have heard from both State and Federal Governments are sounds bites with any detail.”
“We need a package that will help mum and dad investors, and won’t leave tenants saddled with unsustainable debt at the end of this crisis.”
Parliament is due to return on May 11 to debate the package.
