Rental prices have gone up so much that many people on low incomes are now excluded from renting altogether. Shelter is a basic human right. The rise in rental assistance in the recent federal Budget is welcome as are commitments by federal state and local governments to increase the supply of housing for those on low incomes.
Federally and in the ACT, many sitting legislators, as well as candidates for office, own rental properties, and this receives frequent press attention. Questions can be raised by the public on how this affects housing reform, or the interests of legislators regarding planning decisions and the use of parliamentary allowances.